Unholy
by Different Dimension Demon
Summary: Blood is the one thing that binds us together as a race. Blood tells us who our family is. What one Harry James Potter finds out his blood can do more than THAT, well he decides to take the world by the horns swearing to take what was his and destroy all that stood in way. The blood is life challenge response for DZ2. Pairing undecided. Platonic! Sisterly!Luna to Harry
1. Blood of my protection

**DZ2's 'The Blood is the Life' Challenge**

 **Plot:** According to someone we know and loathe, Lily's blood protects Harry, or rather, protects Privet Drive from Death Eaters, but, according to the Ministry of Morons, Blood Magic is illegal: so is it meant to help or harm? Bless or curse? Harry wants to find out for himself and to hell with anyone who says no.

 **Rules:** Grey, Dark or Evil Harry **DARK- SOME WILL VIEW HIM AS EVIL BUT HARRY WON'T TAKE SHIT FROM ANYONE**

Haemokinetic/Blood Manipulator Harry

Powerful Harry or stronger

When the story starts is up to you **STORY WILL START AT THE BEGINNING BUT WITH SUFFICIENT DEVIATION FROM CANON ITS SAFE TO CALL IT DEFINITELY DARK AU BY CONCLUSIONS END**

As part of his ability, Harry MUST be able to influence/draw strength from the blood wards around his home

How strong and how much Harry can control blood for varying purposes depends on his knowledge, skill and strength: at first, he can only influence his/the blood of those closest to him/blood-based magic closest to him, but he grows stronger until he can control/influence it from a distance

Harry MUST take an interest in using blood for runes/symbols of magical origins **WILL TIE INTO HIS FASCINATION WITH ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS, THEIR CULTURE & LANGUAGES AND WHY THEY WENT EXTINCT; OPENS A POSSIBILITY TO HAVING THE MAKINGS OF A RUNE MAGE SKILL SET TO SUPPLEMENT HIS OTHER SKILLS ONLY MUCH MORE DANGEROUS SINCE A MEDIUM LIKE BLOOD ALLOWS FOR FAR DARKER AND POWERFUL RUNES TO BE MADE/CAST**

Blood Mages MUST be classed as A or S Level Dark Creatures/Magic Users by the Ministry **S-LEVEL WITH ACTIVE KILL ON CONFIRMATION ORDER BY THE MINISTRY; EXCEPTIONS ARE MADE FOR LORDS OF NOBLE HOUSES ON THE WIZENGAMOT BUT TOUGH LUCK FOR EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE YOU'RE DEAD IF YOU'RE FOUND OUT**

Even IF he uses blood to help others, Harry MUST be the source of a scandal/attack for his abilities by the Ministry and/or others at Hogwarts **HES HARRY BLOODY POTTER, WHEN IS HE _NOT_ THE BLAMED SOURCE OF SOMETHING SCANDALOUS OR BLAMED AS THE SOURCE OF ATTACKS IN ANY MEASURE?**

As well as using blood for his magic/magical feats, Harry MUST be able to create constructs out of his blood **SPARINGLY USED AT FIRST UNTIL THIRD YEAR WHEN THE INTRODUCTIONS OF ELECTIVES COMES IN; WILL TAKE ANCIENT RUNES(DUH FOR THE CHALLENGE) , ARITHMANCY AND BATTLE CONJURATION- ALL ELETIVES THAT WILL AID HIS MAGICAL SKILLS IN GENERAL, HIS ABILITY WITH USING HIS BLOOD ABILITIES IN CONJUCTION WITH RUNES FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT AND HIS ABILITY TO CREATE EFFECTIVE BLOOD CONSTRUCTS FOR ALL USES**

All pairings are welcome

 **Guidelines:** Crossovers **SOME REFERENCES BUT SPARINGLY USED**

Super/OP-Harry **OP EVENTUALLY**

Vampire/Dhampir-Harry **VAMPIRE HARRY**

Vampiric-Hybrid-Harry **NO**

Demon-Harry **ACCEPTED OF SORT- VAMPIRES ARE TREATED AS DEMONS BY THOSE LESS INFORMED SO HE WOULD BE TREATED LIKE ONE**

Creature-Harry **ACCEPTED IN FULL- SEE ABOVE POINT FOR SAME LOGIC AS PEOPLE THINKING HIM A SORTS & APPLY TO CREATURES SINCE THEY ARE STRICTLY LABELLED AND IMPLIED IN CANON TO CATEGORIZED AS DARK CREATURES**

Dark-Lord Harry **NOT STRICTLY**

Master-of-Death Harry **WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES BUT UNDETERMINED**

To help strengthen his power, Harry willingly feeds on blood, but _doesn't_ turn into a vampire **HALF-RIGHT, FEEDS WILLING BUT GETS TURNED INTO A PURE VAMPIRE**

If not drinking, Harry somehow becomes stronger/rejuvenated by other means involving blood (e.g. touch/leech, blood-on-skin contact etc.) **REJECTED PARTIALLY FOR REASONING OF ABOVE POINT- CAN GET THE SAME EFFECT AS DRINKING BLOOD FROM ABSORBING IT THROUGH SKIN CONTACT BUT ITS NOT NEARLY AS EFFECTIVE AS DRINKING IT DIRECTLY**

Harry drinks Unicorn Blood, but _doesn't_ become cursed **POSSIBLE BUT NOT DETERMINED YET T** **IL HE GETS TO HOGWARTS**

Through the blood of others, Harry assimilates their skills/knowledge/memories/powers etc. **YES BUT IN TERMS OF SKILLS AND POWERS, HE HAS TO LEARN TO CONTROL THEM THE OLD FASHIONED WAY; MEMORIES AND KNOWLEDGE WILL ASSIMILATE OVER TIME UNTIL HE LEARNS OCCLUMENCY AND HE CAN SORT IT OUT IN HIS HEAD IN A FLASH. IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC SKILLS LIKE.. SAY HE AIDED A GOBLIN AND HE ASSIMILATES THEIR BLOOD AND THERE ARE RACE SPECIFIC POWERS YOU NEED A CERTAIN MAKEUP MAGICALLY OR GENETICALLY THAT IS _PURELY_** **THAT ONE RACE HE CAN STILL ASSIMILIATE THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IT DOES AND HOW TO COUNTER IT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO USE THE ABILITY.**

Harry can influence Creature/Vampire blood to increase the curse/bloodlust/instincts or even _cure_ them **POSSIBLE BUT UNDETERMINED AT CURREN THOUGHTS**

Harry uses Blood Magic/Blood Control to gain slaves/followers/allies **ACFEPTED BUT PRIMARILY USED TO MAKE SLAVE CONTROL RUNE COLLARS FOR ENEMIES HE CLAIMS THROUGH BESTING THEM IN COMBAT**

Somehow, the blood of non-human magicals aids/augments Harry's power/ability further **DEPENDS ON THE MAGICAL RACE, SOME MAY HURT MORE THAN HELP HIM(FOR EXAMPLE BUT MAY NOT APPLICABLE TO THE STORY: UNICORN BLOOD MAY HELP HIM HEAL BUT FAE BLOOD WILL SAY PUT HIM DOWN FOR A FEW DAYS IN AGONY BECAUSE WHILE BOTH CREATURES ARE 'LIGHT' LABELLED CREATURES FAIRIES ARE MORE 'LIGHT' THAN UNICORNS AND VAMPIRES ARE NEAR AS CLOSE TO BLACK LEVELS OF UNREDEEMABLE DARK AS A MINISTRY OF MORONS WILL LABEL 'DARK')**

The Blood Magic in Harry affects Tom's resurrection for good or bad reasons **ACCEPTED BUT IN A NEGATIVE FASHION- WEAKENS VOLDEMORT WHO FOR ALL HIS EFFORTS TO STUDY EVERY DARK MAGIC AVAILABLE GAVE SANGUIMANCY A WIDE BERTH DUE TO THE MYTHS THAT BLOOD MAGIC WAS THE ULTIMATE TABOO FOR EVEN THE DARKEST OF DARK WIZARDS, EVEN MORE TABOO THAN HORCRUXES AND SOUL MAGIC**

Harry can alter the properties of his/others blood (e.g. make the blood flammable/poisonous/acidic/mutagenic etc.) **POSSIBLE BUT ONLY AFTER HE HAS HAD A _LONG_ WHILE TO PLAY WITH HIS POWERS AND GAIN A SUFFICIENT MASTERY OF THEM**

Somehow, Harry's blood is _alive_ as a familiar/servant to him **NOT PER SE**

Because of the bias against his kind, Harry willingly sides with Tom. **NO, HE MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE WITH VOLDEMORT BUT I WON'T MAKE A DETERMINATION THIS EARLY**

Slash **NO**

Harems **NO**

Harry/Multi **MAYBE- AT MOST TWO GIRLS IF IT GOES THAT ROUTE AS THE STORY PROGRESSES**

Lily and/or James were Blood Mages **ACTIVELY NO BUT TO CALL THE EVANS FAMILY 'LIGHT' WOULD BE SO FAR FROM THE TRUTH; LATER WILLING TO POSSIBLY EXPLORE LILYS SIDE OF THE FAMILY TO REVEAL THE EVANS FAMILY AS A PUREBLOOD LINE OF BLOOD MAGES DRIVEN OUT OF EUROPE DURING THE DAYS OF ACTIVE WITCH HUNTS AND EXECUTIONS FOR THEIR FAMILIES CONTINUATION.**

Somehow, Lily and/or James survive that night **NO BUT POSSIBLE AVENUE FOR LILYS BLOOD PROTECTION TO ACT AS AN ACTUAL S** **HIELD FOR HARRY(CREDIT TO TO THE CREATORS OF THE NARUTO ANIME SINCE I CAN IMAGINE HARRYS BLOOD ACTING SIMILARLY LIKE SHUKAKUS SAND FOR GAARA PRE-SHIPPUDEN; A SORT OF LITERAL MOTHERS BLOOD AND LOVE THAT WILL PROTECT HIM UNTIL HE CAN CONSCIOUSLY USE HIS FAMILIES GIFT TO PROTECT HIMSELF)**

A prophecy speaks of the Blood Mage **ACCEPTED**

 **Forbidden:** Light Harry

Weak Harry

Harry being turned off the idea of exploring his potential as a Blood Mage

The blood wards around Privet Drive/any of Harry's homes NOT being used/influenced by Harry's power

Harry being instantly-all-powerful/master of Blood Magic

Harry just manipulating the blood magically

Anyone turning Harry away from his true power

Blood Mages as anything less than A-Class Dark Creatures

** **EXTRA THINGS ADDED IN FOR MY OWN CHALLENGE TO WRITING THIS:**

 **I NORMALLY HATE ON DUMBLEDORE FOR BEING A BASTARD THAT THINKS THE PROPHECY AND CLAIMING THE GLORY OF KILLING VOLDEMORT TO CEMENT HIS LEGACY AS MASTER & ULTIMATE LIGHT WIZARD IS A VALID REASON TO LEAVE HARRY UNDERPREPARED TO DEAL WITH VOLDEMORT SO I WILL _TR_ _Y_ M** **Y DAMNEDEST NOT TO PAINT HIM THAT WAY IN THIS STORY; LAYMANS TERMS, DUMBLEDORE WILL PORTRAYED AS WELL MEANING BUT SLIGHTLY MISGUIDED IN HIS OLD AGE AND NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES.**

 **HARRY WILL NOT BE IN GRYFFINDOR EVEN THOUGH HE WILL POSSESS SOME TENDENCIES OF A GRYFFINDOR ALBEIT SEVERELY SUBDUED. RIGHT NOW I AM THINKING OF SORTING HIM TO RAVENCLAW BUT THATS TO BE DETERMINED.**

 **WHILE SLASH MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE TO A DEGREE I HAVE SEEN SOME GOOD SLASH STORIES, SADLY MOST OF THEM ARE DRARRY AND I HATE DRARRY AS A CONCEPT WITH A PASSION, SO HARRY WILL INITIALLY STRUGGLE WITH NOT KNOWING IF HE LIKES WOMEN OR MEN UNTIL HIS ULTIMATE PAIRING(WHOMEVER IT MAY BE) IS DECIDED BY AT LATEST END OF SUMMER YEAR FOUR OR START OF YEAR FIVE.**

 **THE HARDEST PART OF IT AND IT KILLS ME BUT IT MAKES FOR A GOOD CHALLENGE- THE PROPHET WAS RIGHT ABOUT SIRIUS! SIRIUS SOLD OUT THE POTTERS TO VOLDEMORT FOR REASONS X, Y AND Z & KILLED THE TWELVE MUGGLES IN ADDITION TO PETTIGREW. BUT IS IT THAT SIMPLE ON THE SURFACE? OR PERHAPS IS THERE SOMETHING FAR MORE SINISTER AT PLAY IN SIRIUS' ACTIONS?**

 **ONE LAST ASPECT THAT WILL ADD A TOUCH OF DIFFICULTY BUT MAKE FOR A GOOD STORY- _IS VOLDEMORT REALLY THE BAD GUY OR IS HE THE ONE BEING PUT IN A BLOODIED LIGHT OF LUNACY & MANIA WHEN HIS GOALS AND AMBITIONS ARE MEANT TO SAVE THE TRADITIONS OF WIZARD SOCIETY FROM BECOMING RELICS OF THE PAST BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE DUMBLEDORE PUSHING MUGGLEBORNS INTO POSITIONS WHERE THEY ARE "BETTER AND MORE IMPORTANT" THAN MAGICAL FAMILIES WITH GENERATIONS OF MAGIC BLOOD THAT HAS HELPED PROTECT WIZARD SOCIETY?_**

* * *

Albus Dumbledore stared down sadly at the sleeping baby in wreckage. He had been too late to get to the home of his two prized students in time to prevent the disaster that had befallen the small family. James Potter, former Chief Auror of the DMLE, lay dead at his feet hit by an unknown dark spell that had not only bisected the poor man at the waist spilling his organs out onto the floor and bled him out rapidly but the flesh was rotting away rapidly before the elder wizards eyes. Lily Potter, brightest witch of her age in her graduation class from Hogwarts, was dead not to far away thought she faired far better than her husband. While no gruesome dark curse that physically broke the body with any number of ill effects that lead to painful death was the cause of her demise, Dumbledor suspected it was the Killing Curse, it was obvious to him her neck appeared to be broken. "I truly am sorry for you Harry. To lose your parents so young" he said lifting the sleeping boy from his half destroyed crib. There was no visible sign of injury other than a lightning bolt shaped scar on his fore..

Albus did a double take of the room and noticed two very disconcerting things. One was the blood speckled empty black robes and traces of dead magic. The second thing was the broken wand inside the robes. "Harry my boy, you will be famous. Despite this tragedy you have done something many have tried to do and lost their lives doing in the process. You have defeated the darkest wizard in all of Britain" he said finding some small comfort in that. The loss of his two favored students was a tough pill to swallow but the Potter and Evans families, stanchly neutral in politics bordering on Light, had been vehement activists to see Aurors & Hit Wizards Squads given the authority to use lethal force to end the Voldemort and his overzealous Death Eaters reign of terror. "You are a hero Harry and the country will know but for your own safety you must be hidden. You will see this world again but not for a time until you are certain to be safe from the threats that will no doubt try to end your life."

It would be eleven years before Harry James Potter would be seen again as Dumbledore apparated them away to Surrey. Lily's sister Petunia had a son Harry's age and would be perfectly safe there the old wizard reasoned to himself as he left the small baby boy in a conjured basket wrapped in a thick blanket with a note explaining the fate Lily & James met. A quick knock and one apparition later he was gone.

* * *

Eleven years later- Privet Drive

* * *

Harry James Potter sat across the table from his aunt, uncle and cousin in silence as he read the morning paper. The air in the kitchen was uncomfortably silent as it always was, as it had been since his seventh birthday. After being beaten for a lie told by Dudley, the whale child had broken a vase and blamed Harry for it, something terrifying & amazing happened that stopped his beached whale of an uncle in his tracks. The blood that had been pouring out Harry solidified in a shield intercepting a strike that no doubt would have collided with the childs head and sent him careening head first into the floor. Vernon had redoubled his efforts in rage and fear til the blood turned into a weapon threatening to disembowl the man. _"You will leave me alone uncle from now on or whatever is happening right now I will let it kill you."_

The threat had been received with deadly seriousness as he hadn't been heckled once since. Dudley had tried once but when his cousin had tried to Harry Hunt him like so many times before it didn't end well. Having gotten into his head it was something like super powers that he had Harry took to experimenting with what he could do with his blood. Consciously causing himself harm seemed problemaitic at first worrying about scars that would bring undue attention to himself but he was surprised that not matter he did to bring about acces to his blood to play with his 'super power' there was no mark- he could cut himself with a knife, purposefully get in fights at school and be knocked to hell, even purposefully manufacture accidents for himself & there would be no proof of injury of any kind. Of course now at almost eleven he had to admit his pain tolderance was ungodly for a child and probably what he heard some adults say was a masochist though those thoughts were best kept to himself.

"Uncle Vernon, Auntie Petunia" Harry lowered the newspaper so his eyes were glaring directly at the flinching couple "I do hope you and your little ickle Dudley have some place to be today" he said though it was more of an order. Sometimes it helped to have your family fear you he thought seeing his aunt and uncle nod rapidly. "Ah good, then you wouldn't mind if I had a friend over would you to study for the upcoming school year would you?"

Petunia shot a look over to her husband and shook her head. As much as she despised the freaks like her nephew, it was rather contempt she wasn't born like her deceased sister and thus born her hatred of all things magic, she knew better than to antagonize the boy. If he wanted them gone for the day they would go for the day just so they didn't have to be in his presence. Although only a boy of eleven his foul temper put the most violent man she had ever known almost six times his age to shame. "Of course not Harry. Just don't make a mess and pick up after yourselves when you're done studying and whatever else you decide to get up to" she said choosing her words carefully.

Harry scoffed at the request and raised the paper back hiding his face. He had no intention of having a friend over to study for school he had more important things to study. Over the years he had noticed a strange red dome around Privet Drive no one else but him could apparently see. At first he thought it his imagination but after seeing it day in and out he felt his interest pique. Perhaps it had to do with his blood ability super power thing he had his mind reasoned. Tracing the source of the dome was tedious work but it seemed to exude out from his relatives home and encompass the whole of Privet Drive in every direction. When he tried to find the source he stumbled on them by chance, round black stones with weird symbols on them dotted around the house like security cameras. Knowing his relatives wouldn't put them there he noted the locations and copied the design onto a piece of paper as best he could before making his way to the library.

The librarian was incredibly helpful when he showed her his copy of the design and managed to find something similar. She had said the ancient vikings who settled various parts of Europe, even parts of their own country, had used them as way of written written language like their alphabet and called the symbols runes. While most of stuff had been far too advanced for him back then the kind young woman was more than happy to entertain him with simplified versions of viking history since that day had been particularly dead. The culture was utterly fascinating to him in its design and her explanation that the vikings believed in not just one god like catholics but multiple, each one for a different domain for lack of a better term, was even more curious. From that one visit an obsession was born though the full weight would not settle on him til he was older.

Shifting aside the memories he folded the paper up and set it on the table. If things were ro go his was today then perhaps his experiments with the runes on the stones would bear fruit. While he didn't know what they were meant for he did get a few ideas though how accurate they were he had no way to no. His first suspicion was the dome was like some sort of shield. Sometimes he felt a lingering stare and something like displaced air at the edge of the street but it always stopped at the domes edge. His second guess was something he accidentally manufactured when he cut his finger while tending the garden to clear his head of a frustrating day at school and his blood feel on one of the stones. The rune glowed and suddenly he had a massive headache as his eyes closed in agony as it felt like a million white hot pokers in his brain all at once. There had been sensation of...knowing that flooded his mind, it was the only way to know it. There was just no other whay he could know Mrs. Figg was watching him from _behind_ a wall or that Dudley was whining upstairs to his mother about the unfairness of his chores.

Vernon and Petunia shared another glance before motioning Dudley to follow them out. Leaving their rather volatile nepherw alone was in everyones best interest. Especially their own. They couldn't speed away out of the neighborhood fast enough to do...something, anything!, to not be in the youths presence.

Harry was half tempted to roll his eyes at the couples behaviour until a hooting noise caught his attention. A hooting noise? Now what in Sam Hain was an owl of all things doing awake during the day? The elegant birds of prey were supposed to be nocturnal. Crossing to the window he opened it admitting a grey and white feathered owl into the kitchen where it landed in the counter. "Well aren't you a beautiful specimen of a bird" he said noting the owl was female and if viewed abstractly she was almost colored like the last dashes of night sky as the sun rose up over the horizon.

The owl seemed to appreciate the compliment as her breast feather puffed up with pride before she held out a foot where a letter was attached.

"Is that for me girl?" Harry asked petting the owls feather. Her nod made him a little suspicious as he took it. "Stay, I'll get you some water and food. I don't have a lot to offer but theres leftover bacon and sausage. You look like you've flown a long way and could use a rest." Taking her hoots as appreciative thanks she closed her wings and peered up at him as he returned with a saucer of bowl water & a few pieces of breakfast meats broken into pieces for the avian. "Take your time eating, I'll have a response ready when you're done."

Leaving the owl to eat and drink Harry examined the envelope carefully. There was nothing odd about it besides the address was very specific about which bedroom he lived in in the house. Taking the letter opener from the drawer he sliced it open and pulled the out the contents. As he read on his eyes widened slightly. A school for magic? A school for witches and wizards that little kids were told to be nothing but fantasy or make believe? "This person has got to be taking the mickey out of me whoever the hell this Albus Dumbledore rag is" he said with a snort as his eyes scanned the school shopping list. His mind paused though and went back to his abilities. What if it was magic he was doing and not some act of supernatural intervention on his behalf that gave him the ability to defend himself? Grabbing a sheet of paper he scribbled out a reply rife with skeptism and sarcasm but said in no uncertain terms if you can convince me in person to go I'll attend. Sealing the letter in a new envelope and adressing it the Dumbledore guy he returned to the owl waitng patiently for him. 'Fly safely beautiful" he said once the letter was secured to her foot. He watched the owl nip his finger lightly, guessing she was thanking his hospitality for the food & drink as well as the compliment, before flying away. "Now onto what I intended to do with my day."

He turned and entered the backyard after cleaning his dishes. If he was a wizard like the letter said he was then perhaps he could do more with his blood and the rune stones around the house & neighborhood than he thought. "Only one way to find out" be said purposefully cutting finger on a roses thorn and letting the blood drip onto a rune stone. "What secrets can I eke out you today my little mystery" he pondered out loud to himself as the now familiar feeling of information flooded his mind.


	2. Your house sort is

Sat solitary in his compartment on the scarlet train Harry pondered on the passage he had read from the book in front of him. _'Different runic languages have different strengths and weaknesses depending on the purpose of the rune you are carving... I suppose that makes sense. A strong language like the Norse runes would work out well for offensive constructs or wards while Egyptian runes would would work out best for defensive natured wards or constructs. At least if this book is true'_ he thought to himself. Outside he could hear the bustle of children chattering away like a nest of sugar high squirrels and that just irritated him. "There are suchs things as inside voices you imbelic wastes of space! Learn what it is!" he snapped at the first idiotic kid to attempting to take residence in his compartment with his loud friends before slamming the compartment door shut in their faces.

Beside the young boy a hoot erupted from the owl in the cage. Grey in color like dull silver and possessing unusually intelligent violet eyes like the clearest and brightest amethysts the bird looked up at its master sensing the irritation coming off him in waves. The cacophony of noise annoyed her sensitive senses as well, admittedly more so than it should her master, but for the sake of the other humans distracting her human was the best course of action.

Harrys eyes turned to his avian companion and scoffed. "Now why can't other humans be like you Artemis? Intelligent, quiet and beautiful not just in how you appear but the underneath of your intelligence?" he asked reaching into his jeans pocket for an owl treat. Offering it to the owl he smiled slightly, an actual smile with warmth, as his companion hooted her thanks and took the treat from his hand. Before he was set on by other children he cut his finger with a knife he kept hidden on his person and let his blood flow into the locking mechanism of the compartment door before commanding it to harden mentally. _'That should give me some peace and quiet'_ he thought closing his eyes. A move of his hand and the two cages in the compartment, one on Artemis' cage and the other on a pet carrier, were open freeing the two animals. Artemis landed on his shoulder and rubbed her head against his affectionately while a small growl and pounce occupied his lap.

Opening one eye Harry looked down to the innocent 'puppy' in his lap trying to get comfy. Of course it wasn't really just a 'puppy' but rather a Direwolf pup. That was what the pet shop owner had told him anyway. The pup had been mixed in with a batch of magical hunting dog pups and had rejected everyone who tried to buy him. It was a wonder the pup allowed Harry to buy him but when the pup bit him and the pair had glowed golden for a minute nearly blinding everyone in the shop save Harry himself who covered his eyes at the first glow with his free hand. "Find a comfy spot there Zeus?" he asked as the pup looked at him, green eyes met by super bright gold like lightning. A rather punctuated bark was all the answer given before said pup was curled up to nap.

-outside Harrys compartment-

"What do you mean you can't open this compartment door?" a bushy haired girl asked. The unamused look on her face told volumes of how she was feeling of her unwelcome companions tale.

"I can't open the door! Its like its locked!" a whiny redheaded boy said with a rather pointed glare and point of his finger to the offending door.

"Impossible! I read Hogwarts: A History front to back and its states _no one_ but a statf member has the authority to lock a compartment for any reason!"

"Then maybe its a professor in their and they value privacy! What do you want me to say you muggleborn bookworm know-it-all!?"

-back inside the cabbin-

The escalating argument outside his compartment was quickly riding Harrys nerve as the yelling got louder and louder. Shifting Zeus to the seat beside him, despite the whining protest, and stood up with a dangerously twitchy brow. While the mental command to his blood to remain within the locking mechanism was there he told it to go slightly fluid before he yanked the door open with a furious expression on his face. "Take your bitchy squabble elsewhere! I don't have the patience to listen to a damn ginger with no soul and the queen of the beavers have a fucking lovers quarrel in my ear at banshee levels of yelling" he snarled with a glare that would melt even obsidian. Slamming the door again and changing the command to harden once more he heard the pair walk off in stunned silence. Sitting back down he didn't bother to make a comment about Zeus climbing back onto his lap and curling up. "Sorry for that bud. I know your ears are just as sensitive as Artmis' is" he said quietly as a hand ran through the pups fur.

* * *

-meanwhile at Hogwarts-

Albus Dumbledore scowled slightly as a wisp of black smoke emerged from somewhere in his office. Now what could cause black smoke to appear in his office? It wasn't the fireplace, he hadn't lit a fire in the last week. It wasn't Fawkes, it was nowhere near time for the phoenix to 'die' and rebirth himself. Just what could it be then?

His eyes scanned several odd instruments and noted they were all perfectly still. This was expected as they were objects tied to monitoring wards. Some monitored properties, some monitoring objects he deemed of great value and thus protection but the one that he finally caught spewing black smoke worried him. A silver tea pot like object was cracked in half and spewing the smoke. "Oh Merlin... Be safe Harry whateve may be going on" he said to himself. As Headmaster he could only do so much and until Harry was actually sorted within the school he couldn't do anything for the boy. If he was having a fight on the Hogwarts Express or Merlin forbid something worse was happening he could do nothing.

* * *

"Firs' years ove' here! Firs' years ove' here!"

Harry glanced over to the giant man, Rubeus Hagrjd his mind supplied after a moments thought, who had accompanied the schools headmaster to convince him to join the school. It had been a hard sell fof them but with several applications of magic to convice him, from the old wizard who said that he was Albus Dumbledore, he'd agreed. Hagrid had been the one to help him shopping and to call it an experience was underselling the whole ordeal. First the giant man nearly gutted by the goblins for illegal possession of another Gringotts customer vault key. After that mess was done with and his trust vault money withdrawn to pay for his school supplies the actual shopping was a nightmare. Everywhere they went people gawked at him like a new exotic animal at the zoo. **'** _You're famous Harry, a hero_ **'** had been the reason he got for the staring. Robes were got, books-both required and some he saw on runes- bought and shrunk, potion supplies and equipment carefully being shrunk to rest with the books, parchment stoppered ink wells and quills were stored in a bag. Hagried had insisted on their last stops to be the pet shop and the wand emporium.

While the pet shop took a length of time, Harry had wanted to find just the **right** owl in case he found children at Hogwarts worth the effort to write to, it was his trying to discern an odd tug that that took up the majority of the time. It pulled him around the shop til he found himself before a kennel of dogs. Most of them all happily approached seeking attention but one did not and he felt an instinctual connection to it. That feeling proved right as it bit him and they were glowing gold before he knew it. Once the glow faded the shopkeepr had said that the pup had initaited a familiar bond with him. The two animals were paid for with plenty of food shrunken down and 'How to' care books for his two new companions with their sibling reading material.

Even with his saintly patience it was obvious the actual wand getting strained Hagrid a great deal. The half-giant had brought him to Ollivanders Wand Shop For Every Wizard and explained nearly every wizard or witch in Britain had a wand from Ollivanders. When the creepy old man appeared Harry immediately distrusted him. There was just something...wrong about him and the irony didn't escape Harry considering what was wrong with himself. Three hours and nearly five hundred wands later the man had kicked them out saying they tried EVERY wand in the shop & they all refused Harry. This led to Hagrid being forced to bring Harry to the only other wand maker shop within Diagon Alley, Ashbys Fabulous Foci. The sign had made Harry snort in amusement as the enchanted sign with a vibrating wand shooting red sparks made him think of something much more...mundane.

Unlike Ollivanders the search bore fruition after twenty minutes. Harry and Hagrid left the shop with young Harry now wielding a thirteen and a third inch yew wand with a combination core of powdered direwolf fang and phoenix blood. The wand maker had said it was a strange and dangerous combination of materials- life and death, rebirth and destruction. _'I believe we will see great things come of you Mr. Potter. Of that I have no doubt'_ had been the womans exact response with a small smile like she knew something he didn't.

"No more than four to a boat!"

Harry blinked coming out of the sudden memory wash and shook his head. Climbing in with three random kids he rested Zeus' carrier on his lap and Artemis' cage on top of the carrier. His trunk with his books, robes and potion supplies he left behind on the platform as instructed but he adamantly refused to let his two creature companions out of his sight- Zeus particularly since the bit about familiar bonds in the beginning stages were very fragile and anything to strain it could be damaging to both familiar and master.

Warching around the sides he was slightly in awe of not just the Black Lake but the castle before him. Not that it showed but he was. Outlined against the stars and dark sky Hogwarts looked like a siege fortress used during the middle ages. _'Actually it wouldn't surprise me if it had been a siege fortress at one point'_ he thought stepping out of the boat once it had docked and the firet years were all herded up into a hallway. There Hagrid handed them off to a scottish witch that he called Professor McGonagall who went into her speech about the four houses and how your house would be your family for the next seven years.

"Young man, you were told to leave your pe-"

"Pardon professor but according to the Hogwarts rules and regulations we are allowed to bring out pets _and familiars_ to whatever sorting ceremony it is we have to undergo." Harrys tone was icy as he gave the stern witch a look that was utterly defiant and cold. "Non-living things I am fine leaving to House elves transport our things to our houses as we get sorted but just as important as my own well being is the health & well being of my animal companions" he said with a tone that dared her to challenge him.

Minerva was shocked and agitated at the nerve a first year had to challenge her like this. She had been doing this job for well over fifty years! She deserved respect for not only her mastery in the field of transfiguration but because she was a professor! At the same time the boy was right. The rules and regulations allowed for students to bring pets & familiars to the sorting ceremony but it had never been done. For distrust of a living life to be harmed on Hogwarts grounds was unthinkable. On top of that she was suspicious of how the boy knew or at least suspected house elves of moving students things to their sorted house. That was never implied anywhere in any text and was often left explained as left over residual magic perpetuated by Hogwarts castle putting the srudents belongings in their sorted house area. "Be that as it may it would behoove you to show a little respect young man" she said with a sniff.

"Respect is earned not given. Your position as an educator is one that gains only that, respect in an academia environment like the classroom. We are howerver not in a classroom and you demanding I show you respect makes me not respect you even if you are an acknowledged mistress and first hand knowledgable expert in your chosen field Minerva McGonagall" Harry bit back with a scoff and scowl.

The students around watched the exchange with wide eyes and whispers to those around them. Whoever this kid was going toe to toe with the deputy headmistress of the school was either stupid or had a wish of academic suicide in McGonagalls class.

Minervas jaw clenched at the retort and was sorely tempted to deduct points for the disrespect but couldn't. Oh how she wished she could. In all her years as a professor she had dealt with many obstinate disrespectful students but they had been older years, this...this kid wasn't even sorted yet and he had the bronze balls to disrespect her by throwing the school rules in her face. "Your name young man" she said in a clipped tone just bordering on demanding.

Harry smirked slightly and tipped his head to the side making the fringe around his scar move just slightly revealing the signature lightning bolt. "No introduction needed and I do hope you're not considering anything rash professor. Action against pme has never done anyone _any_ good. Just ask my _family_ about what happened to them when they felt the need to try and' 'discipline' for being right about something they were wrong in every facet about."

Minerva said noithing clutching the parchment hard enough her knuckles turned white. Turning on heel she went through the door into the dining barking the order to follow her.

As the sorting began Harry noticed not many people seemed to realize who he was. This was good for him though it wouldn't last long as the last of the N last names, a girl by the name of Juliet Nazaki- a pretty enough girl with some asian features- was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Potter, Harry!"

With a sigh of resignation Harry began the trek to the stool. The innumerable whispers and points irked him as he fingered the knife hidden under his robe through the material. Setting himself on the stool he looked up as the pointy hat was set on his head.

 _'Ah Mr. Potter, I wondered when I would come across you. Your parents were students here you know.'_

Harry blinked in surprise hearing the hat talk in his head. His parents had been students here? Then there would be rec-

 _'Records of students are unaccessible by students not of age of majority or only to Heads of Houses of minor students they are related too. However what I can tell you of James and Lily Potter is they resided in the den of Lions once presided over by Godric Gryffindor himself. Very intelligent in their own ways your parents were but let us see about you Mr. Potter. This sorting is about **YOU** after all.'_ The face of the hat contorted as it sorted through Harrys mind find some very fascinating things. _'Interesting little catch bag aren't you Mr. Potter? Loyal to what you believe and who you believe in but only then. Smart and cunning but grounded enough to realize the most cunning or intelligent plan is not the right way all the time. Thats not to go on about your select fits of bravery that would make even Godric beam with pride.'_ The hat seemed to mull over a thought before it continued. _'And most interesting of all you are a Pureblooded Blood Mage with no proper training but your memories of your experiments show me you have much potential. Be warned young sanguimancer, Blood Magic is highly illegal within these British aisles. Do not let anyone find out lest you wish your head removed from your body.'_

Harrys eyes widened a tiny portion at that. His abilities were considered illegal enough to warrant capital execution?!

 _'Indeed but your salvation lies in the very blood your magic controls. What it means I will leave for you to decipher. Where you should be... Well, better be...'_

The whole of the Great Hall leaned forward in anticipation. Whichever house gained the child who killed Voldemort would no doubt be given an advantage in some way or anothef. The Gryffindors believed Harry a shoe in for them since his family of his dads side were ALWAYS Gryffindor sorted. The Hufflepuffs hoped for him since the first years sorted in explained Harrys confrontation with McGonagall for the well being of his animal companions, if that wasn't Hufflepuffe badger loyalty to a T then they didn't know what was. Many of the children of the Wizengamots 'Dark Alliance' sneered at the idea of the symbol of the Light being in their house while some of the more dubiously Grey members, particularly one young witch by the name of Daphne Greengrass, had their politcial gears running about making Harry a political ally for future endeavours; the Potter name carried a lot of weight in the Light and Grey sections of the Wizengamot so making a friend of him would push their agendas easier, that and the liquid capital of the Potter wealth could stand to make them all money. All the Ravenclaws reasons was far colder and methodical than the other three, being the house of intelligence they craved new unknown sources of knowledge to devour; if they got Harry Potter as a fellow Raven and could endear themselves to him then perhaps he would let them study some of the no doubt long forgotten esoteric tomes of magic that lived in the Potter Library.

 _'... **Roamer!** '_

The Great Hall was floored and infuriate at the same time! Roamer?! There was no House Roamer!

"Perhaps you need another fee moments to make a clea-"

"Do not presume to tell me what I do or do not need witch. I was created long before you and I will be alive long after the worms of the earth begin to feast on your corpse" the sorting hat said with a sneering scowl. "Back when I was first made the Four Founders had students like Mr. Potter here who had all the desired traits of their Houses in equal amounts of spades. Godric, Rowena, Helga and Salazar put into effect an unofficial recognized 'Fifth House' to remedy this problem- Rowena called it the House of Roaming. Young Mr. Potter is the first to be sorted there in centuries meaning he belongs to every house. If he wishes to one day be a Ravenclaw student and the next a Slytherin it is his right. My dedision is fjnal. The only decision Mr. Potter needs to make for the time being is which House he wishes to be a part of for tbe moment."

All eyes were now laser focused on Harry.

Under the massive amount of attention Harry actually squirmed uncomfortably. "For the moment I think I'll choose..."

* * *

A/N: DUN DUN DUN! Don't ya hate cliff hangers?

I think I'll leave people to sweat a little thinking and overthinking what they _think_ will be my decision of Harrys choice of temporary first house. A few keen eyed readers may pick up subtle hints to what it possibly is from context but mums the word on my lips.


	3. I choose The Snakes!

"..Slytherin. My choice is Slytherin." There was audible pin drop silence before Harry heard the proverbial left shoe drop as he picked up the pet carrier and cage. From the Gryffindor table several kids made outraged comments calling him a traitor for picking Slytherins over his parents 'school family' legacy. "SILENCE!" The sneer painted on his face was so dark and sinister that everyone obeyed instantly. "You want to talk about me betraying my parents?! I never got the chance to ever know them because one fucknut decided to murder them when I was one year old or have you inbred idiots & half bred sycophants forgotten that!? The only family I _do_ know thought it was fine to beat and abuse the 'freak' til he was on the brink of death! I refuse to trust a pack of lions when they are known to turn on their pride in the wild when things are even the very first sign of desperate. At least in nature snakes only do the same as a last fucking ditch effort when everything else has been exhausted thoroughly."

Several of the Slytherin students glanced between themselves weighing Harry as he took a solitary seat near the end of the table. Something about the way the boy had said 'The only family I _do_ know thought it was fine to beat and abuse the 'freak' til he was on the brink of death!' didn't sit righ... Eyes widened drastically and shot over to a blonde wizard whose blue eyes were hard as saphires.

"Muggles. Some idiot left a Pureblood Heir in the hands of magic hating muggles" the boy said with a tone that would freeze hell over and eyes sharp enough to make obsidian look dull. He had originally thought the Potter boy would be as 'Light' orientated as they came and dumb as any Gryffindor lion but this, this was a welcome albeit unexpected turn of events. "Greengrass, Davis, MacNair, LeStrange- we have a brother in arms to convince onto our side."

Said children, three girls and two boys, raised an eyebrow at the blonde boy. If he truly thought he could make a true Dark Snake out of a Light bred family scion the young blonde was barking mad. Then again one look to the LeStrange and Greengrass girls with the calculating looks dawning in their eyes brought reconsideration. Perhaps it wasn't _entirely impossible_ if the Potter Heir was truly ignorant of his place in their world.

Harry was ignoring the announcements, fobidden items and off-limits places were of no importance to him, as he paid more attention to his creature companions. "Yes I know you both want out but trust me ok? Soon I promise. At least for you Artemis, I'm sure when we get on our way to the dormitories we'll pass an open window so I can let you out into the night air to find the owleryon your own" he said rubbing the owls breast feathers appeasingly. "And as for you ya little trouble maker" his eyes turned to the carrier beside him sat on the long bench as Zeus seemed to huff in indignation at the comparison "as soon as I get into the dorms & my things put down I'll let you out to stretch your paws. I knows its cramping in there but rules are rules. Even if they are centuries old and treat all creatures like you're mindless animals when many of you are as intelligent if not more so than most humans."

"You know, the muggles say the first sign to losing your mind is talking to things thats don't or can't speak back to you."

Harrys eyes turned slowly to look at whoever chose to approach him as food appeared on the table. The girl who approached was cute on a level if you liked the prissy looking princess types. Long blonde hair fell past her shoulders, dark blue eyes like Atlantic sea storms and pale skin were the immediate things that stood out to him as he fixed her with a thin lipped and empty smirk. "Then by that definition call me certifiably gone. My _family_ , and I use that word in the lightest way possible, made it quite clear early on 'freaks' like me weren't capable of human thought. My best friend is the voice in my head who finds the memories of the suffering I put them through starting from the age of seven to be as... titalating as I do" he said.

The witch cocked a mental eyebrow and sat opposite the young Potter. _'Perhaps he isn't so Light after all'_ she thought as her eyes briefly looked to the two creatures with him. The owl was a rather beautiful bird with sharply intelligent eyes though her eyes were more drawn to the canine. Something about the eyes told her that even though it was small now it was best to be on the side of its master before it got older. "Muggles never did learn their place in the worlds power structure. Perhaps if they did whoever stuck you with such..." she paused for a moment to pick the right word "trash then you would have grown up here in our side of the world where you belonged in the first place."

"And just what makes you think that? Do indulge me a spell here and spell it out for me" Harry said as charmingly as he could be.

"Before I do, proper introductions since its obvious you weren't paying attention to the sorting. Daphne Greengrass, heiress of the Ancient House of Greengrass" she said offering a hand to Harry.

Harry almost scoffed audibly as he put his elbows on the table on either side of his plate before steepling his fingers and rested his chin on his hands. There was a visible shift in his demeanor as his eyes took on a sharp glint much like Artemis in her cage shooting dirty looks at the witch. "Heiress Greengrass, let me make myself perfectly clear if I may. It would behoove you not to treat me like an idiot or come across as the snooty pretentious Pureblood Princess no doubt your mummy and daddy raised you to be. I am _perfectly aware_ of my station on this side of the social divide between us magically capable and those who aren't" he said with a rather clipped tone. "This whole playing perfectly.. I hesitate to call it an innocent act because this charade is strictly for the red and gold morons behind us."

Daphne was shocked at the one eighty Harry took in a moment but kept her mothers training in mind to keep her features stoically schooled. "If you understand precisely where you stand than I fail to understand why the chararde" she said slowly folding her hands in front of her. While their housemates were eating and paying attention to the conversation, those close enough to hear anyway, her eyes widened by orders of magnitude as Harrys explanation unfolded.

Albus Dumbledore could be characterized as a generally kind grandfatherly man but at the moment uncertainty chewed at his gut. Ever since the fiasco that was the Diagon Alley trip for Harry and Hagrid he had felt a sick knot in his stomach. Leaving the young Potter heir had never settled right with him but what other option had he had? Sirius Black murdered those twelve muggles and his former friend Peter Pettigrew after betraying the Potters location to Voldemort, the man had confessed to it under truth serum, and the only other couples left for Harry to be left in the care of were rather unsuited at the time. Alice and Frank Longbottom were at the time recently admitted to St. Mungos long term care ward due to extended torture under the Cruciatus curse while Amelia Bones, who had been Lilys choice as Harrys godmother, had been promoted from Chief Auror to Director of the DMLE & pushing sixty to seventy hour work weeks _while_ caring for her own niece and dealing with the duties as Proxy for the Ancient House of Bones in the Wizengamot; simply put, he had NO other options. The many wards he had put around the property in Little Whinning had never once gone off for Harry being in danger. _'Perhaps my folly has come back to bite us, bite me, in the ass'_ he thought gravely. In a moment of clarity his chest seized with a cold fear. The wards he had put up were to alert him of _magical danger_ since that had been the immediate threat to the young Potters life. Harry was perfectly capable of being physically abused under the wards and they would never trip letting him know of the boy being in peril.

"Albus, what is he talking about? You said that-"

"After the feast Minerva. Gather the teachers and heads of house for a meeting in my office. I fear our only option may have been a karmic blackhole forming in our faces" Dumbledore said grimly.

Daphnes eyes narrowed slightly as the explanation given by the Potter heir ended on a rather dark note. His understanding of their world was far from complete but his buying of texts outside the Hogwarts books made him fairly well read for having a basic idea of how to act and what the important laws were in a nutshell. "I guess then I have only two questions Heir Potter. One, what side of the political line are you going to side with? Two, do you intend to take advantage of being able to sit in the other houses?"she asked plating some chicken and veggies for herself at last.

Harry didn't answer at first as he cut into the roast on his plate and bit into the piece he speared casually. Emerald orbs did a mental once over trying to recall all he could about House Greengrass from his reading before boarding the express here for school. _'Politically Neutral family in the Wizengamot. Currently headed by a Liam Greengrass who maintains the family Neutral position but possesses more personal darker leaning. Their fortunes have been made in the fields growing and selling rare potion & alchemy herbs as well as underworld information' _he thought as the tidbits surfaced. "Undecided on both counts for the time being but I may use the advantage to take of the knowledge no doubt hoarded by Ravenclaw students." He decided a neutral position was the best point to start. If the kids of power current power brokers wished to try and court him to their side bring it on; his knowledge was fairly incomplete about a lot of the older families but the books on politics had mentioned old alliences so he knew some of the families who wokred together in tbe past, what side of the Neutrality line they swayed and for what causes they championed. "Is this a personal feeling out behalf of the Ancient House of Greengrass or are you here as the feeler for a next generation alliance seeking to have the Ancient and Noble House of Potter name add its weights to sway the Wizengamot balance?" he asked casually after swallowing.

Down the table the blonde wizard saw Daphne begin to sweat, sweat for her that is given away by the certain cue of muscle tensing, under the gaze of Harry Potter. What had the boy said to get under the stoic girls skin? "Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini with me." Without waiting for confirmation he got up, plate in hand, and marched up to the area the two were sat. "Greengrass, pleasant surprise to se-"

"You can drop the act. I already assumed either she was either here on behalf of her House or an alliance of next generation children of alliances past. I can safely assume you are the one responsible for sending her?" Harry asked keeping his eyes on Daphne. "Blonde slicked back hair, blue eyes, ferret like thin build- you must be a Malfoy."

Daphne watched Dracos eyes narrow before the boy forced a calm expression. Draco must really be set to get Harry Potter on their side if he was willing to let a ferret comment slip aside without so much as a veiled threat.

"Heir Draco Malfoy at your service" he said taking the empty seat beside Harry not occupied by a pet carrier. _'Bringing pets to the Hall, he must have neen raised by muggles in a barn or something'_ he thought wrinkling his nose.

"Make a comment about my owl or familiar being here Heir Malfoy and consider this parley a wasted endeavour." Harrys eyes closed as he let his fork rest against his plate. "Perhaps I should change over to the Ravenclaw table instead. Your aura is quite putrid in its condescending shadow clinging to you" he said drumming his fingers on the table in impatience for dinner to be over so he could get some rest and let his companions free to stretch their limbs.

* * *

Up in the Headmasters office the four Heads of House alongside the other teaching staff were looking expectantly at Albus. They had all heard loud and clear what Harry had said, the whole Great Hall did, and they wanted answers. Some of the teachers, professors like Minerva and Filius who adored Harrys mother Lily as their star pupil, wanted to know why Harry would claim being abused by relatives to the point he nearly died while others were far too curious about the Potter Heir as a whole. His sorting had taken nearly half an hour in real time and to be sorted into a 'Fifth House' created by the Founders recognizing that those with all four Founding Houses qualities in spades were in Harry; they couldn't NOT be curious.

"My fellow educators and Heads of House, I have a terrible story to tell you. A story I had never hoped in my worst nightmares would happen but it seems to my grim shock it has. This story begins on the night of Halloween when You-Know-Who attacked the Potter family in Godrics Hollow" Dumbledore began as he took a seat in his throne like chair behind his desk in his office. He would tell those not part his Order the edited truth. They needed to know that much to be ready to deal with a seemingly Dark Harry Potter. Now he could only hope to steer the boy to the light or into the neutral grsy zone as a worst case scenario.

* * *

A/N: short sweet and to the point of satisfaction. Thenext generation of 'Dark' and Grey children already seek to court Harry for his support both because of the weight of his families name but no doubt also for the wealth. Dumbledorr tells those not in the know parts of the truth and his fears of what has happened to their saviour. **THE BIG QUESTION TO BE ASKED: WILL HARRY BE SWAYED BY MALFOY AND HIS ILK OR DOES OUR BUDDING DARK PRINCE(I LIKE THE SOUND OF IT SO DON'T READ INTO THIS AS HINTING HARRY GOING FULL DARK LORD LATER ON, REFER TO THE CHALLENGE PROMPT IN CHAPTER 1) HAVE IDEAS OF HIS OWN.?!**

Oh and for those who are going to say Harry didn't buy political books about the important families, laws & what not about the magical world? Just because I implicity write his extra bought books were on runes DOES NOT mean they were the only extra cirriculat books he bought.


	4. The 'married' couple!

Calling Daphne Selene Greengrass a rather calculating and detached young woman was equal parts truth & lie. Being raised as a traditional Pureblood Heiress to her House she was adept at what was coined as the 'Acceptable Pureblood Public Face' by her younger sister Astoria. 'Acceptable Pureblood Public Face' dictated' that the young blonde woman was seen with a purely neutral expression on her face, in her eyes and even in the tone of her voice even if within her own mind she felt or wanted to express herself differently in company of others. It was equal parts lie to believe that that was all there was to the Greengrass heiress. Those who truly knew her best, her family and her friend Tracy Davis, would tell you the detached calculating Pureblood Princess routine was not who she really was. They would tell you she was truly a vibrant person with a great sense of humor, a love of life a mile wide and a fierce loyalty to those she held dearest to her.

It was these contradictions that the girl in question was balancing that lead to the situation she was currently trapped in. With completely unattached Harry Potter of all people.

"Are you going to stare at me the whole time or are you going to help me figure a way out of here?" Harry asked bluntly. He was used to being trapped in dark confined spaces, he lived it for seven years before his blood mage abilitiies awakened, but being trapped with someone else was new. Even newer was being trapped naked with said someone being a girl. With the previous night being the sorting ceremony and his less than stellar introduction to some of his new houses power children he should have expected this really.

"Sorry, I'm just surprised at the number of..."

"Don't finish that sentence." Harrys voice was cold as sharp emerald eyes cut over to the blonde witch. The room they were in was not completely dark but lit enough that if you strained your eyes you could see well enough to make details out. He adjusted his glasses and rubbed his temples. Daphne was more interested in staring at his scarred form it seemed so it was apprently up to him to figure out how to get them free. _'I hate being smarter than most people my age group sometimes'_ he thought to himself. His primary school teacher had noticed it and given him a test meant for several grades up and to both their shocks he scored a perfect score when she noticed how he was reading text books meant for kids years older than him in his free time.

Daphne winced internally at how icy the tone Harry used was. She didn't _want_ to stare like he was some animal on display but the amount of scars on his person was so morbidly eye drawing that she couldn't help it. "Theres a wall over the left where a door should be. A _Finite_ should take down the transfiguration" she said rolling a stiff shoulder suddenly feeling too exposed to him like they currently were.

Harry barely nodded as he flicked his wrist and his wand was there from absolutely nowhere. " _Finite_." The wall shimmered before it melted back into the door that was supposed to be there. "Ladies first" he said with an expectant gaze. Following behind Daphne he found their clothes neatly folded up in separate piles on a chair. A dark look crossed his face as he snatched up the note that was folded neatly on top of the piles and opened it.

 _Every prominent Slytherin male by virtue of name and status is given a Slytherin bride upon his sorting. We have hoped you have enjoyed the first night with yours Mr. Potter. Yours and Ms. Greengrasses things shall be moved to a larger room the two of you shall share for the remainder of your Hogwarts education._

 _-Slytherin Welcome Committee_

The note became cinders as Harrys eyes narrowed dangerously at the contents, his magic reacting not too particularly well to this ambush. "You know what... Fuck this. I'm switching over to Ravenclaw and not coming back to this pit" he muttered with a dark sneer. Snatching his clothes back on in a moment, not even sparing Daphne a single glance as she redressed, and not caring one iota of the wrinkles that may give people the wrong idea he stomped away with the express intention to do some damage before he left for the high tower of knowledge.

Daphne followed behind Harry with a sigh as she tucked her wand, left in her robe pocket thank Merlin, into her sleeve. "Let me guess, the Slytherin Welcome Committees work?" she asked. She had heard about there being an outgoing rite of passage for seventh year male students to determine the boys of worth and assign them a 'bride' upon first sorting into Slytherin and arranging them to click. She didn't understand the whole point since you can't make assumptions of two people being 'right for each other' when you know nothing of who they are. Of course she didn't say anything about it either she owed her own and Astorias lives to the same Welcome Committee had assigned their mother as their dads 'bride' when they were students: it was a miracle in a sense since the pair didn't humor the 'tradition' and actually fell in love.

"Mhmm" Harry said with a near grunt of frustration. "Basssilisk!" The word carried his annoyance as the growl that ripped from his throat as he said the password into the common room made the stone snakes disappear in the blink of an eye as just for a moment the s' seemed to roll together in a serpentine like hiss. The common room was empty as his eye shot to the clock reading six am. People would be getting up soon he imagined, good. Follwing another notes directions to his and Daphnes 'new room' he packed his stuff back into his trunk and ushered Zeus into his carrier.

"What are you doing?" Daphne asked with an apprehensive tone.

"Packing my things for a House switch, whats it look like I'm doing? Preparing for tea with the queen?"Harry asked sarcastically. "If this is going to be normal and accepted behaviour here in Slytherin I want no part of it! You can keep the room, I don't care." He slammed the trunk shut and locked it before he hefted it it down into the common room. He returned once more to Daphnes room and grabbed Zeus' carrier to bring it down as well. "You were sorted here, I can come and go as I so choose. Right now I choose not too if ever again while I'm here to complete my education."

A knock sounded at the doorway as one of the sixth year prefects, an attractive girl with brown hair and green eyes, cleared her throat. "Trouble in paradise with your new 'bride' Mr. Potter?" she asked raising an eyebrow. The boy looked suitably annoyed and she had only heard the tail end of the conversation, enough to hear he was going for a House switch after only one night and the Welcome Committees actions.

Harrys eyes cut over to the door where the Prefect stood. "My agitation is not with Ms. Greengrase but this 'Welcome Committee' you all seem to know is around and tolerate its little decision to play unnecessary match-maker" he said with a cutting tone. His eyes cut back to Zeus' carrier as the pup whined. Crouching down he stuck his fingers through the grate door gently brushing his fingers through pups fur. "Easy boy, as soon as we get down to breakfast and speak to the Ravenclaw head of house I'll let you out" he said in a warm tone that seemed to placate the golden eyed canine. For a moment he kept his gaze on the pup as he felt the weight of bothgirls gaze on him as he pulled out a plastic bag from his robe pocket and slipped a few bone shaped special Direwolf treats in for Zeus. "I'll feed you proper in the hall so bear with me Zeus."

"I don't suppose you understand the ties connected with being selected by the Welcome Committee or what it means for the 'bride' you're given" the Prefect said as she leaned against the doorframe.

"I don't frankly care. We are eleven years old. Waking up naked in a room only marginally bigger than a broom closet with someone I met for the first time the night prior will do that to a guy" Harry said with a scathing look aimed at the older girl.

"Even if you rejecting her means its free reign for Ms. Greengrass to be passed to around like a two knut slag to whoever wants to take a shot at her?" the Prefect asked.

Harry paused mid-stretch as his eyes hardened and darkened immediately "Say that again... I don't think I heard you right" he said with a deadly calm but edged words.

Daphne paled hearing that as her calm composure began to crack, panic showing in her eyes.

"By the time breakfast has ended all of Slytherin will know who the was selected by the Welcome Committee and who their 'bride' is. You are the primary protection she has right now. You turn her away you may as well strip her now and leave a sign around her neck saying open season. I don't approve of it but theres nothing I can do to change the so called rules of this tradition. Its barbaric, archaic amd demeaning but as you'll soon see its men in Slytherin who have the power. There is a legend that has circulated Slytherin for a long time now. Before the passing of Salazar Slytherin he supposedly instituted a treasure hunt of sorts." The Prefect paused herself as she made a motion with her hand. "Can I come in? When this room was set up for you these" she tapped runes carved into the interior of the doorway "were set up to recognize you two and allow you access as you please but everyone else is only allowed in by invitation only."

Harry made a motion of his hand and crossed the room closing the door behind the Prefect after she entered. "Whats so important about this levendary treasure hunt or whatever it is?" he asked tapping his foot impatiently.

"According to the tapestry sewn and hung in the common room he or she finds the treasure hidden by Slytherin will become more or less the true acknowledged heir of Slytherin since it is well known Salazar hadn't sired any children himself. If anyone were to find it and the legend is true, their word would be good as law." The older girl turned her gaze to the pale Greengrass heiress before looking back to Harry. "Mr. Potter, I do not assume to know your aims about what you wish to do with your life or whom you want to help see those ambitions accomplished. I do not assume to know anything about because quite frankly the Daily Prophet and Albus Dumbledore can't be trusted as far as they can be thrown. But what I think I can say with certainty id that by your reaction I know you're sickened by the idea as much as all us girls who dread the same fate as Ms. Greengrass. "

Harry said nothing as the older witch left and closed the door behind her. While Daphne was lost in her own panicked thoughts he retreated to the common room and retrieved his trunk before returning to Daphn- his and Daphnes room. With his trunk settled at the foot of the bed and Zeus' carrier opened letting the pup out he surprised himself with his next action. His arms were only slightly opened for a moment before the blonde girl took the silent invitation and launched herself into the offered embrace. Despite her tight grip around his waist and the repeated soft 'thank you for staying' mumbled against his chest he was quiet for a moment as he let his arms lightly squeeze around her to give some modicum of support. "I am a lot of things Ms. Greengrass but a heartless monster I am not" he said as his lips drew into a hard thin line.

Daphne chewed her lip as blue eyes closed. She was thankful they were alone and the foor was closed, if anyone saw her acting like this she's never be able to live it down publically. If the Prefect was right and all of Slytherin was going to know who the Welcome Committee selected as 'prominent males' and who their 'brides' were it would be a matter of time before her own family knew. There was no way of knowing how her parents would react since despite being labelled as 'Fencesitters' on the Wizengamot and staunchly neutral in political spheres many would be suspect that the last living heir of the Potters, a family that was at one point a grab bag of staunchly 'Light' or neutral politicians like her own, in a relationship of any type with her would reflect on the way the Greengrass politics would lie in the future. "What do you plan to do?" she asked extracting herself from Harry with a very faint blush as she smoothed her robes out with her hands as she looked anywhere but at Harry.

"The only thing that seems to be my option Ms. Greengrass." Harry knelt down as Zeus' bit at his robes and tugged. "I'll speak with our head of house to see if there is truth to this story of Salazar Slytherin leaving a hunt to a treasure, legacy or whatever it is. If there is I'll try to see if I can track it down" he said as he flicked the pup lightly on the nose. "If there is a treasure that allows for the person to find it to be acknowledged as the heir of Slytherin and I can find it I'll make pointed use of the position to end this... Excuse of a tradition."

Daphne coouldn't help the slightl twitch at the farthest edge of her lips as the canine barked and bit Harrys finger for its nose being flicked. "Well until you do I think at the very least we should be able to be somewhat more familiar with each other. At least if only for appearances sake" she said as she crouched down and cautiously offered her hand to the canine to smell. "What kind of dog is he? I haven't seen one like him before."

Harry watched cautiously as Zeus warily looked at the blonde witches hand before sniffing once. "He isn't a dog, not a domestic or commercially bred kind anyway" he said watching as the pup gave the dainty hand a tentative lick. "Hes a Direwolf pup. I would say its a miracle he chose me but we both know magic works in mysterious ways."

Daphne was surprised at that as she gently rubbed the small pups head. Direwolves were a dying breed hunted to the border of extinction due to the idiocy of 'Light' ideology claiming wizards saying Direwolves were the cause for the destruction of magical historical sights & deaths of innocent people. "How did you come across him? I would imagine him being so readioy found was a vast oversight on someones part" she said drawing her hand back to rub the pups back.

"Oh it was an oversight. When I went in to get my owl Artemis, beautiful bird she is and smart as a whip too, he was in a play area witb a batch of magical hunting dog puppies. Zeus didn't let anyone before me touch him for more than a second before he'd do something to draw blood. This would usually scare them but not me. You can say it was the tug that drew me to him. He bit me, drew blood and next thing I knew theres a golden glow." Harry chuckled as Zeus padded over a few paces and sat on his hind legs staring up at Daphne.

"Magic behaving in mysterious ways indeed" Daphne said as she looked back down into the golden eyed canines eyes feeling like he was searching her for something. Whatever it was that the pup had been looking for it seemed to find as Zeus offered a paw up. She took it and carefully gave it a light shake. "Think we can be friends here Zeus?" she asked the pup.

Zeus barked at the question taking his paw back and nodded his head as his tail wagged. He could tell that there was something between his bonded partner and this female human even if they were not aware of it yet.

"I'll make you a deal, we drop the formal address in public for say... I don't know, our first names? If we become friends in the process, better for it but you have to tell me now that you won't use this to yours or your families advantage like most would. I already know what it is to be used for others personal gain and I don't want a potential friend, if the cards fall that way, to be of that same mindset" Harry said casting his gaze to the clock. Six fifteen am, how was it that the passage of time was so slow when heavy discussion like what passed with the brief conversation involving the Prefect but so fast when unimportant things were about?

"I have motives to do things but its survival from the less than savory elements I know lurk in this house" Daphne said as she sfood back up to her full height. "Plus if theres one thing about me that my best friend Tracy and my family would say about me if you asked is that when it comes to people who matter to me for whatever reason you won't find another more loyal or fiercely protective." She offered a hand to Harry. "Or those who give me reason and confidence to trust them. So no Mr. Pot- Harry, you my word as the heiress of the Ancient House of Greengrass that I have absolutely zero intention to take advantage of you for either my own personal or my families gain in any way."

Harry nodded his head lightly seeing a muted silver glow encompass her frame signifying she told the truth. "Then I guess we have an accord Ms. Greengr- Daphne" he said taking her hand and pulling himself back to full height himself. Taking his hand back from her after a moment he snapped his fingers making Zeus' eyes shoot over to him. "Lets go down to breakfast then. You too buddy."

As the three of them made their way down to the common room they failed to notice the ghostly presence of a regally dressed man with sharp aristocratic features. "Perhaps the time has come at last" the ghost said to itself before sinking into the floor.

* * *

A/N: So I know I haven't been on this story for a long while but I'm happy with this. Some people will draw that something between Harry and Daphne is a strong case but don't trust what Zeus thinks is SOMETHING between the two, after all Zeus is only a pup. Who is the ghost? How will the kids in Slytherin deal with Harry being picked as a 'prominent male' of the house and his given 'bride' being Daphne? How will Dumbles and staff react to seeing all this go on?

 **READ ON AND FIND OUT!**


	5. Talks, secrets and promises exchanged

Harry and Daphne were particularly quiet at breakfast as the Slytherin table was buzzing with news of who was selected by the Welcome Committee & who their 'bride' was. Eyes cut over to them every so often and some of the girls whispered among themselves but the duo paid them no mind as they ate & took turns feeding Zeus pieces of bacon and sausage. "Its a matter of time you know" Harry said as he glanced sideways towards Daphne. The blonde boy, his mind supplied the name Draco after a moment of actively trying to recall the kids name, had been shooting his own looks toward them with his own 'bride' talking a mile a minute in his ear and appearing rather annoyed with her for it.

"I'm perfectly aware Harry" Daphne said as she patted Zeus head from his position sat on her lap contentedly. "But we already agreed and I don't take you for a person to double back on your word."

"I don't mean about that." Harry reached over and scratched Zeus' chest enticing a happy bark from the pup soaking up the attention. "I was talking abou-"

"Mr. Potter, the Headmaster would like to speak you after breakfast in his office. He has told me to inform you that he likes Gummy Bears." Severus Snape spared a brief look between the two First Years as he handed them their timetables, all five of them- one for Daphne and four for the raven haired youth who looked put out. "I'm sure you find this request of the Headmaster quite odd to say the least but do humor him and see what he wants. It makes everyones lives a lot easier if he believes people actually listen to him when in all reality we should have put him in a magical version of a muggles retirement village for the senile almost two decades ago" he said drawing more than a fair share of raised eyebrows.

"Your opinion of the Headmaster is duly noted sir. Before you continue on handing out the timetables, could I ask you a question?" Harry asked setting the four sheets down after sorting them into a pile by House Crest in order from Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and last but certainly least Gryffindor.

"I believe you mean to ask if you may ask me a question" Severus said with an internal sigh. Why did the Potter spawn have to choose his House as his first choice for housing? He still hated James Potter and couldn't wish more eternal damnation on the dead man but he had to admit that seemingly, as far as one night of observation could tell, the boy had more of his mother Lily than his father in him. At least for his one-time friendship with Harrys mother he would at the very least not openly be passively hostile to the boy, it would be counter-productive to his image of favoring Slytherin slyly, til he had reason to be. It would also give him more time to observe the youth.

"Apologies sir, the caffeine from my coffee hasn't kicked in yet but yes that is precisely what I meant" Harry said making a gesture with his pointer finger to the half drained mug of black coffee.

"They have coffee? Merlins three inch di-"

Harry looked wholely too amused as an older female student pointed her wand at her fellow Gryffindor, a redheaded boy who looked about their age making him assume them to be a first or second year student, and told him to shut up or she would sew his lips shut. "Daphne and I spoke to a Prefect this morning before breakfast and she mentioned some sort of treasure hunt or quest of sorts supposedly left behind by Salazar Slytherin himself. I wanted to ask if you knew more about it as far being an urban legend or if there is truth to it. Its no big deal if its just a myth, I found it rather curious is all and thought as our head of house you might know if it was just talking to talk or if Salazar did in fact leave a treasure hunt hinted at in the common room tapestry" he said poking at his plate as he speared a piece of fruit.

"I wouldn't be entirely too fixated on being the successful student to find Salazars treasure Mr. Potter. Generations of students before you have tried and failed. I wouldn't even put stock that there is an actual treasure even though the sorting has said on many a moon that the founders left their legacies in this castle awaiting their rightful heir or heiress to find them and bring them back into the worlds light. It is a fools errand Mr. Potter, I would suggest not putting too much stock into this legend either. You are an ambitious young man with presumably lofty goals you wish to make reality or you would not have chosen Slytherin as your first choice of House. You would do best to keep yourself grounded in reality. Or at the very least, let your 'bride' keep you as grounded in reality as she can" Severus said casting Daphne a look before he continued on.

"That was helpful. Not" Daphne said with a scoff.

"I wouldn't say that now Daphne" Harry said after he took another swig of his coffee. "Just because our head of house says not to put so much stock in something does not automatically means its just a legend. It just means keep a healthy amount of skepticism in mind."

"You are far too level headed you know that" Daphne said as she reached out and grabbed the mug from him. "And I may regret asking this later but what is coffee?"

Harry looked scandalized at the question as he put a hand to his chest. "You don't know what coffee is? You poor poor dear. I have so much to teach you over these seven years don't I?" he asked rhetorically. "Coffee is the morning wake up of the gods. More caffeine than tea to wake you up quicker and it sticks with you longer to ensure you're awake. Personally I prefer my coffee black with one sugar but you can have it any number of ways. Purely black meaning no sugar or milk/cream, milk/cream and sugar to taste. Theres even flavors you can add to it if you have a particular weakness for anything sweet."

Daphne pouted at the playful, she _hoped_ it was playful at least, chastisement & minor lesson. Without asking for permission she took a sip from Harrys mug, and ignoring the many wide eyes the action drew, and swirled the hot liquid around her mouth for a moment before swallowing. It had a strong bitter taste but there was sweetness to make it tolerable. "Get another cup, I'm finishing this one" she said after taking a second sip.

Harry smirked slightly to himself and shook his head. This would raise a few eyebrows indeed and not just from their fellow Slytherins judging by the way the teachers were observing them. "Yes dear, whatever you say dear" he said rolling his eyes and snapped his fingers before another steaming mug was before him. "To the beginning of something beautiful?" he asked offering the mug now clasped in his hand to Daphne in a toast like gesture.

Daphne read between the lines and nodded her head at that. "I'll drink to that. To the start of something beautiful indeed and I hope you mean me"she said clinking her mug against Harrys.

"Of course I am." As they finished up breakfast Harry ignored the weight of the teachers stares and chatted amicably with Daphine. When the plates and food disappeared as people began to leave he waited til there was less of a crowd at the door and offered the blonde witch his arm. "Shall we? Don't wish to keep the Headmaster waiting too long now do we? That would be rude" he said as Zeus paced momentarily at his feet.

"Are you sure you want me to go with you? I can't help but suspect that whatever the Headmaster wishes to speak to you about will be changed if I go with you to his office even if you tell him that you trust me to be present and listen in" Daphne said standing up and gently nudging Zeus to stop pacing.

"As your 'husband', well as far as the other Slytherins are concerned anyway, it would be improper to exclude my 'bride' from anything personally involving myself. Slytherins are supposed to present a united front and from my understanding of marriage its the same thing for those who get married. You are my 'bride' as I am your 'husband', we are a team and if the Headmaster wants to speak to me then he speaks to **us**. Together. We work as a team. Plus if he tries anything funny he can't say I'm making it up since you would be a witness to it too" Harry said. "Plus you said this morning you are loyal and protective to those you care about & give you reason to trust them. I know I've given you reason to trust me and I trust you with your vow to me so its not like either of us has an ulterior motive thats sneaky or underhanded. The school will see two first years looking out for each other and the other Slytherins will see a 'married couple' watching their 'spouses' back."

Daphne hooked her arm lightly around Harrys own and rested her hand on his forearm lightly. "When you put it like that I suppose its a no-brainer" she said looking down to their feet where Zeus sat impatiently. "Though we don't know where the Headmasters office is now do we."

"Mr. Potter, follow me to the Headmasters office."

"Just a second sir, have to sort out my familiar. He seems a touch agitated" Harry said. He and Daphne knelt down giving the pup an ear rub before standing up again. "Are you ready dear?" he asked looking to the blonde on his arm.

"Of course" Daphne said.

"The Headmaster asked only for , Ms. Greengrass" Severus said tapping his foot on the stone floor.

"And if he truly wishes to speak to me then he speaks to the both of us. The Welcome Committee has given Daphne to me as my 'bride' and the two of us are making the best of it considering the grisly alternative" Harry said as his lips drew into a hard thin line. "We have reached our own agreement between ourselves and if I willfully leave my 'bride' exposed for too long without me, her primary protection as the Prefect I spoke to this morning put it, I would be remiss in my duty as her 'husband'. Plus you said last night we as Slytherins must present a united front to the rest of school; this is just that. The school will see two First Year Slytherins watching each others backs and our fellow Slytherins will see it as me watching the safety of my 'bride', sir. Besides all that and this is meant with all due reapect but if your opinion of the Headmaster needing to have been put into a retirement village holds water I would like a witness besides myself to be present if he does something askew."

Severus paused and gave the boys words a moments consideration. As much as he could theroretically fault Harry and call him wrong, there was more to say that the boy was not. "I suppose you are correct" he said choosing his words carefully and diplomatically. "Leaving Ms. Greengrass exposed would send the entirely wrong message to the boys not selected by the Welcome Committee. Follow me then you two and try not to lag behind. Classes may not begin til Monday but my time is still valuable."

"Of course sir. Lead on."

* * *

When the sound of feet coming up the stairs to his office reached his ears Dumbledore sat up straight in his seat. It wasn't one set of feet so he was confused for a moment. He had sent Severus to fetch young Mr. Potter and assumed the Slytherin head of house would bring Harry to the gargoyle & leave. Seems to be that wasn't the case. When the door swung open and revealed Harry with a blonde witch on his arm & a dog at his feet the old wizards eyebrows furrowed for a moment. "Mr. Potter?" he asked.

"Pardon the wait Headmaster, we had to sort out my familiar Zeus' morning bathroom needs on the way here" Harry said motioning to the pup pressed close to Daphnes leg. He could see the furs standing on edge as Zeus was hunched slightly like he was waiting for either an attack or something in the room set him ill at ease. Emerald eyes cased the room and landed on a perch with a catcher underneath. The bird on the catcher looked rather weird to him and was going to comment on it til it erupted into flames, the ash collecting on the metal plate under the perch. When a tiny avian head popped up out of the ashes he felt the muscles in his back relax wondering when in the mere moments they had tensed.

"Ah yes, tending to a young familar can be quite the task isn't it?" Dumbledore asked following Harrys eyes to Fawkes perch as the new hafchling trilled and flapped his tiny wings. "I see you noticed my own familiar Fawkes. Hes a phoenix if you were curious. But what has me curious is why have Ms. Greengrass with you when I asked Severus to bring you here."

"That is a very simple answer sir. You see, Daphne and I intended to use the time after breakfast to familiarize ourselves with the castle grounds & where our classrooms are so that come Monday morning we do not get lost" Harry said not missing a beat. It was only partly a lie, they had talked about familiarizing themselves with the schoolgrounds & where their classroom locations were while Snape led them over, but like hell he was going to say the real reason that Daphne was there for. Only an idiot would expose themselves like that and he was anything but an idiot. "Plus Daphne and I have been enjoying the others company. She really is quite the pleasant conversationalist if I do say so myself. Anything you say to me can be said in front of her, I trust her."

Dumbledore felt a spike of uncertainty hearing that. Unlike many who perceived him to be biased towards Gryffindor or the other 'Light' Houses at Hogwarts, a title used by others but not Dumbledore himself, he didn't have a strict leaning or preference for his former House over rhe others. He didn't even think less of Slytherin students like most did. "It wasn't anything world alteringly important my boy. I-"

"Stop it right there." Harrys eyes lost their 'lightness' as the Headmaster tried to be so familiar with him. "I do not know you from Adam on the street. Do _not_ try to be so familiar with me like I am my father who was heralded by the Daily Prophet to be your greatest yes men" he said sharply as he unlooped his arm from Daphnes and crossed his arms across his chest. "So all due respect, please get to the point or stop wasting all our times."

Dumbledore sighed and drew out a box from his desk before setting it on top in front of Harry. "I was going to see how you were adjusting to the school with it being in such a high magic saturated area. I'm aware that for most who are not around it from a young age sometimes wind up ill or have a hard time adjusting at first introduction. I was also going to return that" he pointed to the plain white box "since your father lent it to me a few weeks before the unfortunate event that claimed your parents life. As their sole heir its yours."

Harrys eyes hardened further hearing that something belonging to his family had been in the possession of a person whom many thought was missing a few too many screws. Lifting the lid of the box he saw a rich black cloak that appeared to ripple and bounce light off its material. His fingers traced the surface and right away he felt something odd about it. He could feel the magic stained into the material in what felt like runic shapes though he didn't know what they did. What bugged him was the feel of what one of his books described as a tracking spell- it gave off the sensation a pulse and for a moment it echoed around the room before homing in on Dumbledore. "Remove all foreign enchantments you put on it" he said shoving the box back back at the Headmaster.

"I didn't-"

"Bullshit you didn't. I bought more books than the ones needed for class and one of them described a multitude of general purpose spells that most wizards and witches should at least know about. Including tracking spells. The moment I touched it a minute pulse let out and went back to you. Remove the enchantments you put on my fathers cloak or I'm sure theres a law out there to put you in hot water for tampering with peoples property" Harry said with a glare.

It was here that Daphne pitched in as she knelt down and picked up Zeus. "There is actually Harry. Because the Potters are an Ancient and Noble House it is technically under Wizengamot law attempted Poaching & Control by proxy. Not to mention-"

Dumbledores eyes darkened as he slammed a hand on his desk to get attention back on him. "Mr. Potter I am telling you I _did not_ do what you are accusing me ofu. I studied your fathers cloak for two weeks prior to your parents deaths eleven years ago to try deciphering a rather odd quality about it compared to other enchanted cloaks to no success and after that left in that box, the same box your father had given it to me in, in my desk under magical lock & key" he said.

"Fine, keep lying." Harry took the box and put the cover on it once more before snatching the box up under one arm. "I'm sure whatever you call the law enforcement agency will love to hear about this and dig a deep investigation into your claimed story. Lets go Daphne" he said said turning on heel back to the stairs that lead down to the castle proper.

* * *

Several hours later in one of the courtyards by the Black Lake Harry took out his fathers cloak again and carefully spread it out on a bench.

"What are you doing Harry? You said theres foreign magic on it and that tracking spell" Daphne said as she tossed a stick for Zeus to chase. Even if the pup did look a bit put out at being treated like a run of the mill domestic breed dog he still chased it. "How do you even know theres foreign magic on it? I mean, the first time you saw it was in the Headmasters office."

"Call it a gut feeling Daph" Harry said as his eyes scanned the surface of the cloak intently enougb he didn't realize he used a shortened version of the blonde witches name. "My gut instinct has saved my life on more than one occasion so I've learned to trust it implicitly." What he didn't know, and wouldn't for a fair while, was that his eyes began to glow slightly making the runic shapes he felt earlier appear plain as day even though they hadn't earlier. What angered him was that the runic symbols all tied together like a bow and shot back to the Headmasters office. "Cock sucking lying sonofabitch" Harry swore under his breath.

Daphne was mid motion to toss the stick for Zeus again when stopped seeing Harry bring his thumb to his mouth and bite it hard breaking the skin drawing blood. She went to stop whatver it was he was doing but she noticed his eyes were different. Not only were they glowing a bit making the emerald color darker and more intense but they were glazed over as he ran the bloody digit across the surface of the cloak rapidly forming complex rune strings. Her awe only grew as the strings began to pulse a golden color and a shattering sound like glass filled the air as a vapor of some kind rose of the cloak into a symbol the wizarding world was familiar with but disregarded as just a fairy tale, the triangle trapped in a circle with a line splitting the triangle; the supposed symbol of the Deathly Hallows. Her musings were cut short when she saw the glazed quality of Harrys eyes fade and he swayed slightly on his feet. Dropping the stick she rushed the few steps over and wrapped her arms around Harry to steady him. "Hey, you ok?" she asked worriedly.

"A little...light headed" Harry said pressing his hand to his head. "What happened? I was looking the cloak over and then nothing."

"You mean to tell me the last two minutes are a blank for you?" Daphne asked. "Harry, your eyes were glowing and then you broke the skin of your thumb before drawing complicated rune strings on the cloak with your blood. They pulsed gold before a shattering sound filled the air and vapor rose off the cloak."

Harry grimaced looking at the cloak noticing crimson symbols on the cloak. "I don't remember doing tha.." His eyes widened as before his eyes the blood drawn runes were absorbed **into** the cloak. "Tell me I'm not the only one to see that happen" he said turning his head to look at Daphne as he said brushed one of her arms from around him feeling steady enough on his own.

"No, I saw that too" Daphne said with equally wide eyes. "So do we..."

"We say nothing about this" Harry said extracting himself from Daphnes other arm and carefully folded his fathers cloak back into the box it previously had been in. "Do me a favor too and don't mention about my eyes glowing or what I did. I don't know how I did it since before I got my Hogwarts letter I was raised purely in the muggle half of the world. Don't mention I did whatever I did using my blood either, the ugly hat that sorted us last night said blood magic was illegal and would get me killed."

"Agreed, one condition on that though" Daphne said as she snapped her fingers making Zeus come running back to them where he had chased a squirell up a nearby tree. "Work on calling me Daph like you did when you pulled your dads cloak out."

"Hold on a second, I called you Daph?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes you did."

"Sounds like a really close friend or boyfriend would say. I'm open to it but I think we should let our façade mature a bit instead of jumping into the deep end right away. Like taking my coffee cup and finishing my cofee in front of the whole school" Harry said chuckling. The very faintest of blush on Daphnes face and light glare made his chuckle evolve into outright laughter. "But I can agree to that. We toasted to the start of something beautiful in the Great Hall, I think I know precisely what it is."

"And what would that be exactly?" Daphne asked arching a delicate eyebrow.

"We spoke this morning about seeing if what right now is more or less a business arrangement can be the start of a genuine friendship. I protect you from those in Slytherin by virtue of staying and being your 'husband' & now you know a secret about me that I had hoped no one at Hogwarts would find out about. A secret I have to trust you'll take to your grave if things ever became that dire though I do not wish or hope it will." Harry paused as he picked up the box under one arm after putting the top back on it. "So I say we alter our arrangement just slightly. I'll stay and you stay out of the nasty alternative but lets through out the potential for friendship. I stand to be the next Lord Potter on my seventeenth birthday and right now I have no reason to think you will betray this secret to anyone since it would endanger you." He paused again before offering his free hand to Daphne. "I offer personally my friendship with no agenda but if you need an ally at any time in the future where you or your family are in dire straights House Potter shall stand beside House Greengrass in support. All I ask is you and your family offer me the same courtesy should such unfortunate events arise."

Daphne blinked surprised that Harry was offering such a heavy and binding promise & asking only for equal honor bound. "While I cannot and won't speak for my parents I do offer my promise as the next Lady Greengrass to repay every consideration in kind the House of Potter does for me personally to the best of my abilities. I can start now by sending a letter to my lord father so you and he can speak about making a formal agreement or contract that satisfies you both after dinner tonight" she said as she slipped momentarily into the Pureblood raised princess her parents had molded into part of her when it was necessary to deal with legal or House related business. "And personally speaking" her tone relaxed as she took Harrys offered hand in her own and shook it "honest people in our world are hard if not impossible to come by. Knowing that I have one as friend and someone I can count if I need help is a gift Harry."

A dull silver glow surrounded the pair as Harry, remembering the tidbit from his political book about the old families of magical Britain and etiquette concerning them, pulled Daphnes smaller hand to him and laid a light kiss to her knuckles. While some would get the very wrong idea of what he was doing, he had the Gryffindor student body population strictly in mind at this thought, it was more formal & traditional; it was more binding than the handshake he offered and a gesture of his honor as a gentleman to keep his word. "Believe me when I say it means more to me than it does to you and that is something I wish I could put into words so you could understand. Sadly there aren't strong enough words to do so" he said releasing her hand. "Lets go back inside and get ready for dinner."

Daphne nodded looping one arm around Harrys arm follwoing him inside as Zeus darted between their feet.

* * *

A/N: ah beautiful thing inspiration is isn't it? I was working on the next chap for Master Demense when this hit me like a freight train. Harry pulls a trick out his butt he didn't know he could, which will be explained later, and a bit of what I feel is the first true bit of character development for our 'couple'. Some people think last chapters ghost is old Salazar, maybe it is and maybe its not. One thing is for certain, some had tampered with Harrys cloak & it wasn't Dumbledore(refer to the first chap where I said I was going to try writing him well meaning but truly misguided & **not** a manipulative douche nozzle) so who was it?


	6. Wills, contracts & suspicions abound

"As the executor of the Potter and Black Estates in accordance with Wizenaganot laws I call this meeting to order." A fairly tall and unassuming wizard looked at the assembled parties before him. News travelled fast in the wizarding community and news of Harry Potters return had spread like wildfire. The lawyer James, Lily and Sirius had on retainer had a hell of a time trying to get Dumbledore to listen to the law that demanded Harry be present for the unsealing and reading of his parents last will and his traitorous godfathers living will. Dumbledore had tried to make the case that it could wait , the school year was just begun, but the executor was having none of it.

Harry sat quietly in the office with his hand gripping Daphnes tightly. While the executor was far from pleased someone not named in either will was present he backed down when it was made clear that the blonde witch was going nowhere. Dumbledore seemed to be nervous about something, a fact he noticed right away and nudged Daphne lightly with his knee to give her notice, and that made Harry suspicious. What could be contained in his parents will that would make him, Albus Dumbledore the sheeples hero of the light, be nervous? "No offense sir but could we please go a little faster?" he asked with his lips drawn into a thin line.

The lawyer frowned slightly but offered Harry two sealed envelopes and a silver knife eaching bearing their own unique crests. On the left pressed into the envelopes red wax was the crest of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter while on the right pressed into black wax was the crest for the Ancient and Noble House of Black. "As Heir Potter and godchild to Sirius Orion Black your blood is required to break the seals on their wills" he said.

Harry frowned slightly at that and for a moment did nothing. He knew the knife was a goblin blood knife, they had used one him to do a identity test at Gringotts after Hagrid nearly got gutted for having his trust vault key, and as such would heal the wound after it let out blood for a few moments but his sanguimancy could act up sometimes and heal wounds instantly.

"Harry, its alright. I'm right here" Daphne said squeezing his hand in support. She knew he hadn't been looking forward to this but it was necessary and he knew that as well as she did. "The sooner you do this the sooner you can put this messiness behind you and we can head back to our semblance of normal at school."

Harry sighed once again and squeezed Daphnes hand in thanks beford letting it go. Taking the Potter crest engraved knife first he cut the tip pad of his thumb and swiped the bloody digit across the wax seal. For a moment nothing happened until the lion on the crest roared and the wax seal broke. The moment the cut healed both envelope and knife were psssed back to the lawyer. He repeated the process with the Black crest engraved knife and will envelope before that too was handed back after the thestral on the wax seal let out a rather dark mix of a horses frustrated whinnying sound and an almost gutteral hiss-like growl.

"Thank you. Let us begin with the read of the Last Will and Testament of Lord & Lady Potter." Pulling out the documents the lawyer cleared his throat before he began. "We, James and Lily Potter, declare this our legal and binding final wishes. First and foremost our only son Harrison James Potter is **not** to be placed with those fucking genetic experiments known as my wifes sister & her husband. The chain of custody in order of our desires are as follows: Sirius Black his godfather with supervision from his godmother Amelia Bones. Alice and Frank Longbottom so that Harrison can be raised with his godbrother Neville" the man said as he adjusted the seating of his reading glasses on his nose.

"Pardon but my name is Harry" the raven haired boy said interrupting the lawyer.

"Harrison is the legal name given to you by your parents on your birth certificate Heir Potter. Harry is a shortened version of Harrison and whst would be considered a more private if not personal use of the name used by either close friends or significant others" the lawyer explained patiently. "If our son ends up in the hands of those freaks of nature I will personally see to it that the responsible will suffer eternal agony and torment given Petunia and Vernon Dursleys track record of violence against any and all things magical." The lawyer paused again and looked directly at Harry. "Since this is first item of your parents will and clearly the most important" he turned the document to show Harry the big blocky text it was written in "where precisely have you spent the first half of your formative years Heir Potter?"

"With the Dursleys. Where I've been beaten enough times within an inch of my life that I've met the angel of death more than once and quite truthfully shes a bitch" Harry said bluntly. "All I know is that Vernon often complained when drunk about 'that crooked nosed freak was warned about what would happen to you if he left you here' as he laid into me over some slight I was not guilty of but his deliquent son Dudley was and blamed me for so he avoided punishment himself. Sometimes it was the belt across my back, most of the time it was closed fist strikes til I was hacking up blood and it felt like my ribs were cracking in my chest. The one constant was that the evidence was always hidden in places where clothes hid the marks so my back, chest, upper parts of my arms and legs were the favorites of his."

Daphne had a horrified expression on her face at how matter of factly and detachedly Harry said all this. Abuse that severe should have killed him regardless of his magic. Granted she was glad it didn't but the principal of it still stuck. She noted she wasn't the only one who was horrified. Some of the women, a few she recognized as prominent 'Light' family nobles who were followers of Dumbledores rhetoric and by that same logic must have been friends with one of Harrys parents in one form or anther, were just as or more so as some had rage burning in their eyes like they wanted to go hunt down these Dursleys and string them up gallows using their own entrails as the rope.

The lawyer had the same fury surface for a moment before the flame was smothered. "I see" he said icily making a note on a legal pad of certain individual who looked noticeably shocked or startled like Albus Dumbledore who looked ready to flee the room in a panic. "Continuing on then. The dispersal of our combined assets are to given out as follows. To Albus one too many hyphenated names Dumbledore we bequeath to you thirty sickles and a boot to the head."

"Thirty sickl-" Dumbledore couldn't even finish his confused statement before a boot slammed sole first into his face sending into a head first heap onto the floor.

"This is because I suspect you will listen to that fucking prophecy more than you will listen to us and be the cause of our deaths while you live in La La Land thinking that just because you defeated the last Dark Lord before Voldemort you are next Merlin & that gives you the right to dictate everyones lives to your whims" the lawyer said conjuring another boot with the wave of his wand. "To Molly and Arthur, the two snivelling ass kissers always seeking a handout" he continued ignoring the outraged from said adults "and sought to get rich off any means able we bequeath to you nothing. Except a boot to the head each." Twin thunks and pained sounds erupted as the pair hit the ground. "And an extra size twenty boot to the ass of Molly who tried to dose me, Lord James Potter, with love potion the night before my wedding to try and steal the Potter fortune for your own grubbing little hands like a true Prewitt whore you are."

Harry raised a silent eyebrow though his expression was neutral as the size twenty conjured boot nailed the portly woman square between the ass cheeks sending her out of the room.

"As Lord and Lady Potter we remove all support from Weasley ventures, as microscopic as it eternally has been, til such a time our son decides to either uphold our decision as his own or he chooses to selctively aid those he deems of deserving of capital assitance. To our loyal friend Remus Lupin, we bequeath to you-"

The wizard conjured a helmet just as a cautionary measure.

"Not a boot to the head. But three cases of your favorite wine from out wine cellar. You have long lived modestly Moony and its time you enjoy yourself."

Remus looked a bit touched and removed the helmet.

"Just kiddiing, you get a boot to the head as well. That is for questioning Padfoots loyalty to us" the lawyer said as he put his wand down while Remus glared holes through him after a boot hit him in the face hard enough to leave a sole imlpression. "Last but not least to our only child Harrison James Potter, we bequesth the entirety of our estate to you. After the reading of our Will you will be given an enclosed copy of every Potter asset to date, July 29th 1981. As for many of our other so called friends who rode on our coattails we bequeath you nothing but our contempt and wishes that you rot for being no better than leeches. The next section of our Will is House business and all parties who are not our child, his guardian and members of the Greengrass family will leave immediately lest the goblins that are working the room as security drag you out in bloody pieces."

Daphne raised her own eyebrow as the goblins who were indeed around the room clacked their dagger like nails on their axes menacingly emptying out the room quickly. "That includes you Headmaster" she said noticing that Dumbledore having gotten back into hi chair.

"I am afraid not Ms. Greengrass. As Mr. Potters parents are not among us I stand on the legal ground-"

"Of In locus parenti on Hogwarts grounds only. We are not on Hogwarts grounds, this is land of the Goblin Nation. Sovereign land where Goblin Law is rule, not wizard law. You are not Sirius Black nor are you Frank Longbottom so you have no right to claim legal grey area of In Locus Parenti. Get out" Harry said sharply.

Daphne praised Harry silently for his action as the Headmaster sighed and left the room though he had a disappointed gleam in his eye. Turning to the goblin in charge of room security she she inclined her head respectfully. "Might I ask your permission to use your floo to summon my parents?" she asked. A gruff sound that passed as acknowledgement and approval later she was sticking her head into the fireplace. After a moment she pulled back and retook her seat by Harry reclaiming his hand in her grasp as comforting as it was.

Delilah, Astoria and Cyrus Greengrass stepped through the fireplace with perplexed expression on their faces as they peered Daphne sitting so close to Harry but also grasping his hand so almost possessively & affectionately. Astoria broke tbe silence by running over to her elder sister and launched herself at the blonde hugging her tight saying that it was so boring at home without her around.

Daphne smiled slightly and let go of Harrys hand momentarily in favor of hugging her little sister back. "I know squirt but I got to be at school you know that" she said ruffling her sisters hair. "Tori, this is Harry. I don't know if mom or dad told you but-"

"I know. Mom and dad were outraged after they got your letter about what happened. When they heard about what Harry did, or I should say _didn't_ do, they were relieved to say the least. Mom said something to the effect of 'At least he has a sense of honor and respect for women unlike mlst of the Slytherin male population, she could've been in a worse mix. Like being stuck to Malfoy' while talking to dad that night" Astoria said matter of factly.

Harry scratched his cheek not entirely if he should be flattered or insulted. On the one hand even if it was paraphrashed by Daphnes apparently younger sister, her parents weren't against their 'marriage' and seemed to approve since he hadn't done anything unjust or maliciously undeserved to Daphne so he was flattered slightly. On the other hand he was insulted because once again even though it was paraphrashed, the sentiment of the mother saying she could do worse was a slap to the face. What was wrong with him? Well, that was actually a very long list but they didn't know a hundreth of the bullet points on **that** list so where did she get off even suggesting the spirit of something was wrong with him.

"Mr. Potter!" The lawyer was agitated as he snapped his fingers in Harrys face once more finally catching his attention. "Time is money and annoyed goblins are not hospitable goblins so please try to focus so we can speed through this last bit."

"Apologies." Harry was far from apologetic actually but he wasn't about to say that.

Delilah and Cyrus had caught the glint that appeared momentarily in Harrys eyes before it disappeared. It was equal parts frustrated as it was mad & they were curious to why. It appeared after Astoria... Oh, that had to be it. Harry must have prematurely assumed from their youngest daughter paraphrasing that they believed something wrong with him as a person and only better than Malfoy by virtue of not being a Malfoy. That would have to be cleared up after this Delilah had thought to herself as she nodded her head imperceptibly at her husband who seemed tk realize the same thing.

"Concerning the debt owed to myself Lord James Pottter by Lord Cyrus Ignacious Greengrass do hereby accept the offered betrothal for my son Harrison James Potter, Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, to one Daphe Selene Greengrass, Heiress to the Ancient House of Greengrass," here the lawyer produced a contract much to the shocked eleven year olds gazes "on the condition that it be ratified to allow for either of the children to dissolve the contract should either of them feel that a romantic relationship will not work out in the end. You and I have been friends a long time Cyrus, just as long as Lily and Delah have, so we are doing this to settle the debt but like you we don't believe in deciding our childrens romantic futures. Harry and Daphne showed signs of being magically compatible as infants & fast friends if the photos of them napping together suggests anything. Its safe to say none of us want to destroy a friendship for sake of traditions that are in need of some updating when our children are the future."

Harry turned his gaze to look between the two Greengrass adults in the room as they spoke to the lawyer who produced a second pre-prepared, signed and dated marriage proposal that had the same date as his parents Will had been finalized. His gaze then cut to Daphne who was equally shocked as he was. Not only had their families been close and they knew each other as infants but long had their been a standing contract to marry them to settle a debt of some kind between their dad? His head was spinning as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

"I swear to Morgana I didn't know Harry" Daphne said seeing hints of distrust tense the muscles in his face. "Harry, if I had known I would have told but it wouldn't have changed a thing. I still want my friend because he has shown me trust, confidence to private things he would never tell anyone else and given me no reason to want anything more than that from him. I swear its true and nothing but the truth." She took his hands in her own and squeezed gently. "We can dissolve it right now if you want but I don't want to dissolve this bond with an honest friend who doesn't look at me and think how he can use me & my family to further his own agenda" she pled with a soft worried tone.

Harrys eyes opened as he looked down into worried blue eyes that held nothing but glimmering truth. He wasn't happy about the contract and after a momentary nod to the older couple it was signed without flourish or fanfare, a golden glow encompassing the contract before it slithered over to him and Daphne surrounding them as it pushed Astoria aside to a different chair. Surrounding just him and Daphne he noticed the golden string of magic was more like links of chain before a clicking sound like a lock was heard and the golden magic infused into them. "If things don't seem to be working then we can dissolve it at any time but most people who are lucky marry and fall in love with their best friend right? Given how small our court of two is I guess that tells you where you rank huh" he said as the tenseness in his muscles and the distrust melted away as he squeezed Daphnes hands back reassuringly that he believed she told him the truth about not knowing about the contract and she truly didn't want any kind of profit off potentially marrying him beyond saying her man, if they did marry, that she loved was her best friend in the world.

"Idiot..." Daphne said glaring lightly as the worry melted away. "Don't scare me like that again."

"Ahem. We still have one more matter to discuss" the lawyer said as he waves the envelope with Black wax seal. "Because of certain laws on the books regarding Azkaban prisoners and the fact that this is a living-will the dispersal of the estste is slightly more difficult. Given the first and foremost Lord Sirius Orion Black is the admitted traitor that sold out the late Lord and Lady Potter all personal assets would be transfered to the Potter family account as compsensation to you because you are not only a victim during and after the fact, you are left as the last of your House. However" he paused as his eyes flipped several pages before a scowl marred his lips. "No, this can't be right."

Cyrus Greengrass tapped his cane, a necessity to aid in walking at times due to old injuries as an Auror acting up in certain weather conditions unlike the ilk of Lucius Malfoy who used canes to conceal their wand or a weapon for surprise attacks, finding the look on the lawyers face disconcerting. "What precisely can't be right?" he asked

The lawyer ignored the blonde wizard for a moment as he set the living-will down and reached into the envelope that it had been sealed inside and grasped around inside of it. Finding the described sealed crystsl vial he pulled it out staring intently at the swirling silvery mist inside. "Does Gringotts happen to have a penseive on hand for customer use?" he asked looking to the head goblin in the room.

"For a fee of ten galleons human" was the gruff reply.

Drawing out a money the lawyer dropped the coins into the hand and watched goblin leave to retrieve the object in question. "Included in Sirius Blacks living-will is a sworn deposition, embossed with official Ministry of Magic traces in its parchment stock, regarding his deteriorating mental state after being hit a spell that was cast by a member of a group called The Order of The Phoenix that he claims he himself as well as the late Lord & Lady Potter had quit seeing the mania that was infecting the group. This vial he mentione claims to be a memory copy of the duel in question that he was supposedly hit by the spell that was responsible for the supposed mental state becoming so diminished that he committed such heinous crimes against his friends and his own godchild" he said picking up the living-will once more. "If the memory is as authentic as this deposition is, I will need your permission Heir Potter, then you have a case for Murder by Unwilling Proxy for your parents deaths via what was done to your godfather."

Harry looked and felt conflicted as all eyes landed on him. "I get the distinct feeling theres more isn't it?" he asked.

"Yes there but how you choose to react is entirely up to you."

Harry didn't like the sound of that whatsoever. It was far to vague and ominous for his liking. "And what is this something else?"

"Because Sirius Black knew his deteriorating mental state could very well drive him into a state where he would do something that may see him put in Azkaban he has discharged the title of Lord Black to you with the knowledge you have a more legitimate claim to black Lordship than say Draco Malfoy whose mother Narcissa is a Black daughter. This means the entirety of the House of Black Estate is at your disposal from homes around the globe, the liquid capital, artifacts, library etc. But this also means you have to fulfill an ironclad obligation"the lawyer said producing another contract from the back of Sirius living-will reading very simply as MARRIAGE CONTRACT FOR LORD BLACK AND NYMPHADORA TONKS.


	7. Court plus one, Azkaban breakout

Harry idly fingered a few strands of blonde hair as his eyes were focused on the older female Hufflepuff across the Great Hall. While he and Daphne were still making public appearances of becoming quickly becoming a happy couple, he didn't disagree with the idea since he found her constant company becoming something that would be inconceivable to be without with every day that passed, his mind had been partially occupied by this other girl he was supposed to marry now that the title of Lord Black had been passed to him. He had observed the girl in question to be fairly well liked by her female peers and the boys though the lecherous leers & looks shot at her when she wasn't looking made him want to gouge out their eyes with battery acid.

"Hary? You're glaring into space" Daphne said as she reached a hand up and clasped his hand that was toying with her hair. It was an absent gesture on his part but it was a comforting absent gesture that she appreciated from him. It seemed her voice snapped the raven haired boy from his thoughts. "You want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Not here. Too many ears and we know too many of their loyalties are nefarious at worst and questionable at best" Harry said shaking his head. He squeezed her hand lightly before freeing it from her own. "So whats our schedule look like today?"

Daphne gave a mock sigh as she slapped Harrys arm. "I swear that you're useless and wouldn't know where to go without me" she said with a light scolding tone. "Charms, Nap time with Binns, double Defense with the insufferable Gryffindor canonfodder and a study period with the badgers to round out the day. Any particular reason you haven't yet memorized our year schedule? You're brilliant Harry and we both know that beyond every shadow of doubt."

Harry tore his eyes from Nymphadora who was tearing one of the younger year guys a new asshole because of a lecherous joke made to his friends about her and she just happened to hear it. With a glance around, the two of them were alone save the exception of Daphnes only seeming female friend Tracy Davis who he allowed in reluctantly a few days prior, he began to speak. "I've been partially focused on this Nymphadora Tonks. Observing her to see how she is perceived by her housemates and the student body at large" Harry confessed as he stirred his coffee with a finger. "While I'm pleased to see that she is well like by her female housemates and younger students given her seemingly outgoing & caring demeanor, I find myself less than pleased about what the male student body roughly her age say & want to do to her." He pulled the mug off the table and took a pull of the steaming contents. "Its disgusting enough to warrant having the offenders completely obliviated of such heinous thoughts about a person. That or have them put down like the animals they are thinking like."

Daphnes brow furrowed slightly at the confession. While she had noticed Harrys eyes wandering ever since their return from the Will readings and watching the older Hufflepuff she was confused as to what could be said that Harry could find heinous enough to worthy of being obliviated or killed for. While there was fledgling affection of the romantic sort that fluttered in her stomach, and in that same fluttering the jealousy of Harry looking at another girl despite knowing his hands are tied, she couldn't help find herself being just as guilty of putting an eye to consider the older girl given there was a reall chance they could end up being sister wives. As far as she noted of the older Hufflepuff known as Nymphadora Tonks the girl was a light-hearted, fun loving and loyal young woman. She seemed to compliment the reserved side that made up a lot of Harrys carefully maintained appearance to the public; carefully guarded except against her that was.

"Not to sound completely out of the loop here, even though I know I am, what could they be saying thats so bad to warrant having their mind blanked to nothing or them outright put to death?" Tracy asked with a frown marring her lips. She didn't know Harry too well and knew she didn't have his trust like Daphne did but that didn't mean she was the enemy he treated almost everyone in the school, save Daphne of course, like.

"The walls have eyes and ears Ms. Davis. Many of them who would carry what I say to the wrong people and then I'm left to field the flak because I'm in the manority of this backwards stagnant magical culture that isn't afraid to call a spade a spade" Harry said with a grimace. "Plus as I made it very clear a few days ago, I don't trust you. Daphne may and I trust her judgement but many of the children in this house are descended of the last wars Death Eaters." He raised a hand to cut the angry response he saw forming in her eyes. "I am not accusing you personally of anything. I speak of children like Malfoy and Nott who have taken their fathers rhetoric to heart about only those of pure wizarding ancestry deserving to wield magic." Harry stood from the table and drained the last of his coffee. "Given enough time my opinion of you will change if you continue on this current track. I'll see you in Charms Daph" he said leaning down and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek, partly to play up the ruse but also whispering something in her ear that earned him a nod, before leaving the hall after going over to Nymphadora and made the request to speak with her privately, a request she granted with a nod.

"What the bloody hell is his problem? I swear he needs to learn what the definition of the word. I mean for Merlins sake, all I asked was what the guys were saying that he thought they deserved to be killed or obliviated for. Its not like I aske-"

"Tracy, stop" Daphne said silencing her friend with a look. As much as she loved her female best friend there was too much she didn't know. "Harrys right, there are too many people who don't like him here among us in the other school houses. Then you have to consider in our own house theres people like Malfoy who had their hopes to be selected by the Welcome Committee and have me be given to them as their 'bride' only for Harry to get me."

"I sti don't understand why you're so calm about that! I mean we aren't cattle even if the laws-"

"I'm calm about it because Harry has been nothing but a gentleman about it. I'll explain more after dinner tonight but suffice it to say theres a bigger more important reason I'm alright with it" Daphne said cutting off the head of the snake, so to speakn before Tracy could launch properly into a tirade.

Tracys frown grew slightly. "So he hasn't tried to make you... Ya know?" she asked trying to allude to what she knew Daphne understood she was trying to say with a roll of her wrist.

"No he hasn't. Our quarters might have a bedroom setup for an actual married couple but most nights I sleep alone in the bed. Nine times out of ten when I wake in the morning to prepare for the day hes asleep in a reading chair with some political book in his hands and a blanket halfway in a dump across his legs. I'd hex him if he did try something like that Trace and you know it. I won't betray his secrets or confidence in me but suffice it to say the things those guys are saying about that Hufflepuff Nymphadora reminds him too much of things that have done to him before he got his school letter" Daphne said as she pushed the last remnants of her breakfast around the plate.

"I know he said at the sorting he got beat but-"

"I'm not betraying his confidence in me Trace so don't ask me anything like how bad it could of really been. It was bad. Really bad."

* * *

"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about? Advice about classes? Ways to sneak around the castle undetected with your little girlfriend for some alone time in a broom cupboard? Or maybe-"

Harry raised a hand and waited patiently for Nymphadora to stop. "None of the above to be frank" he said dropping his hand. He saw her eyebrow shoot up in question at that. "I've been observing you the past week or so and felt that now was as good a time as any to finally approach you."

"You know, its sweet and all but I don't think your girlfriend would be appreciative of you coming on to me. Plus I'm not into younger men. What was it muggles called women like that? Coujars I think" Nymphadora said tapping her chin thoughtfully. As fascinating as muggle culture could be she never really got into it despite her father being muggle himself.

"While my betrothed, not my girlfriend, is not happy she knows that my hands are tied. As are yours." Harry produced a copy of the marriage contract and offered it to Nymphadora.

Nymphadoras eyes were wide as plates as she literally tored the contract out of Harrys hands. This couldn't be right! Had her mother truly agreed to this for her sake?! But it wasn't fair! What about her choice of love! "This contract says I have to marry the Lord Black and.." Her heart sank as Harry raised his left hand and where nothing had been before the signet ring of Lord Black was there.

"I understand that this is not what you want nor is what I want" Harry began as he willed the ring invisible one more as he dropped his hand. "However, what we have right there is full of loopholes. The express wording says a marriage must be done on my majority meaning we have six years to get comfortable with the idea. Even though I find the politicking in that" he took the contract copy back and folded it up before slipping it back into his pocket "horrendous because of what your mother agreed to for you to do, it was done without malicious intent even if your mother was extremely short-sighted when it was drawn up & signed. I do not expect you to fall head over heels in love me but at the very least I hope that such a time comes we can be at the very least friendly enough. When obligations are met I very well couldn't care if you chose to take another lover of your choosing if that was what you wished. As long as we appear to the public as a married couple when its expected of us what you do in your own time and with whom is not my concern."

A suspicious note entered Nymphadoras eyes as she crossed her arms under her chest. "You're joking with me right?" she asked. "You know what I can do don't you?"

"Yes I do and its a magnificent magical talent that has many usuable applications in a vast amount of different occupational fields. Unlike animals that try to pass themselves as human men, who should be lobotimized or have their eyes gouged out ever so slowly with battery acid in my honest opinion, I don't think the ceiling of your abilities lies with you on your back changing your looks to suit some jackasses fantasy of screwing a girl he could never hope to actually speak to let alone be lucky enough to pull into his bed of her volition" Harry said bluntly as he rolled his eyes. "I thought I would take this time to introduce myself so we can work on at the very having some basis for a cordial relationship going forward for the future."

Nymphadora was surprised at how matter of factly that the young Slytherin, Harry Potter himself no less!, spoke about the situation they found themselves in. Not only was he betrothed to a Slytherin girl, and they seemed to be falling into slot with each other quite well, but through some means he was the new Lord Black & because of a contract signed by her mother they would have to be married when he turned seventeen. She did havd to credit the young boy though, the entire length of time, as short as the five minutes had been though it felt like an eternity to her personally, his eyes didn't waver from her face. "You really don't care do you?" she asked letting her arms drop.

"Not really. Living the hell I have with those filthy beasts called my magic hating muggle relatives you could have a harem of women calling you mistress obeying your every command as gospel truth and most likely the biggest reaction you might get out of me is a raised eyebrow & a request for you to use a silencing spell on the room while you entertained yourself" Harry said shrugging his shoulder indifferently. "Like I said, I wanted to introduce myself at the very least so we at least have the ball rolling forward."

"Nymphadora Tonks" she said offering a hand to Harry.

"I know" Harry said with a sort of sarcastic challenging smirk tugging at the edge of his lips as he shook Nymphadoras band. "Harrison Potter-Black but do call me Harry in public."

"Huh? But your name _is_ Harry" Nymphadora said with a confused expression as her hair cycled through a rainbow of colors to reflect her confusion.

"I thought so as well but as I heard and saw at the reading of my parents will, my legal name is Harrison on my birth certificate. You aren't the only one to be thrown for a loop on that" Harry said taking his hand back as Nymphadora let his hand go to scratch her cheek like she was trying to work that one out. "Near as I can figure my mother would have gone simple but meaningful while my father was steeped in tradition from his upbringing with my grandfather so Harrison was a sort of middle ground where simple and traditional met in a compromise that satisfied them both."

"Ah, that would make sense. A lot of the old Houses are steeped in traditions when it comes to names. Something about your name being the first thing a person learns about you before you open your mouth to begin a social process" Nymphadora said nodding to herself like it was a spectacular academic revelation.

"I suppose." Harry turned and walked away as he threw his hand up in a sort of careless gesture of goodby. "Just like I had assumed of you when I first saw the contract. A name like Nymphadora implied to me that a part of you is a free spirit unbound by the shackles of conventions" he said turning a corner maybe fifteen from where the Hufflepuff girl still stood. "Observing you like I have in the limited capacity I have been able to during the dinner feast I'm able to say you do not disappoint Ms. Tonks. Free-spirited but loyal, fun loving and compassionate but fiercely protective" he turned his gaze as a glimmer of amusement entered his gaze. "You do your House more than justice. Let me be me the first to welcome you back to the House of your blood, premature as it right now." Just like that he was gone leaving the older girl with her thoughts unaware of the blush that sprouted on her cheeks at his words.

* * *

"So how'd it go?" Daphne asked as Harry entered the Charms classroom with the rest of the stragglers before the bell rang.

"How did what go?" Harry asked propping his text book open to the page listed on the board. He knew what Daphne was talking about and he knew she knew that he knew what she was talking about but it wasn't a topic to be discussed during class.

"You know what I'm talking about Harry" Daphne said jabbing her elbow in his side while Proffessor Flitwick was explaining the spell they would be learning over the next couple of lessons. "I saw her follow you out of the hall."

"Theres nothing to tell. I introduced myself to her and as bluntly as possible without being a bigger mechanical asshole than our head of house I explained we should get on a cordial level of respect for the other as far as a 'relationship' goes before we are forced to marry. She was on board with it from what I inferred though she was surprised when I told her if she wanted to take another lover or lovers once the obligations of the contract were met she could & I wouldn't be bothered one way or the other" Harry said shrugging.

Daphne palmed her face and groaned silently. "Harry... You're not supposed to be that blunt about something like that" she said rubbing the heel of her palm into one eye socket while her fingers rubbed her temples.

"Did you expect me to beat around the bush?" Harry asked while jotting notes down as Flitwick lectured them.

"No but a little finesse and delicacy to account for her feelings would have been nice."

* * *

In a dinky little cell in Azkaban a man in tattered robes barely more than scraps of fabric held together by loose strings barely keeping the patches together laughed darkly as he rocked in place. The time had come and soon he would be free. Yes, eleven years and soon he would be free to get his revenge. The sound of screams made the dark laugh evolve into a sort of manical giggle. The burning on his arm told him that things were moving as they should and now, now he could let the bloodbath commence. A particular scream made him cease his rocking and stand though the maniacle giggle still came from between his lips as three bodies dropped to the ground dead before his cell and a tall figure dressed head to toe in long black robes peered at him from the other side of the bars.

"Sirius Black. Betrayer of the Potters. Azkaban has been surpisingly kind to you" the figure drawled. To their surprise it was truth as unlike many of the other prisoners Sirius seemed to have added muscle and somehow _gained_ weight to fill out his robes somewhat respectably unlike many other prisoners who were frail bone thin ghosts of their former selves.

The mad twinkle in Sirius' eyes was shining brightly as he spread his arms out as much as he could in the tiny cell. "I was born in Dark Magic. I grew up around Dark Magic and now it has come full circle to help me even though I turned my back on it in foolish youth. The irony is not lost on me" he said leaning forward so his face was only inches from the bars, stormy grey eyes gleaming with madness. "Are you here to let me out Lucius?" he asked.

"Our Lord has found need of you consider this your pardon."

Sirius smirked internally as he watched the bars spring open and a wand was extended towards him. It wasn't his wand but it would do for now. "Oh by the way Lucius, you are wrong. _Your_ Lord has found need of me. He is _not_ my lord." He paused after transfiguing his tattered scraps of robe and the singular small blanket in the corner to something presentable "I don't need you anymore." Before the long robed figure could react or speak he was on them and a sickening crunch as their neck was snapped in his bare hands filled the hallway. The body fell to the ground to join the three dead dead guards as the hood on the robe fell back revealing unseeing blue eyes, blonde hair and pale skin that identified the Malfoy Lord as the deceased victim. Rifling through the dead mens pockets Sirius hummed to himself pocketing alll that he found may be useful. With four spare wands, some money and Lucius' cane containing his concealed long dagger, or was it a sword his mind pondered, he left the corridor and began down to where he often heard certain mad cackles.

Bellatrix LeStrange was cackling madly to herself as the guard casting whatever spell was supposed to be hurting was getting more and more frustrated by the minute. A crunching of bone and feeling the flecks of blood on her person made her blink & stop cackling. "What the sodding... Sirius?"

Sirius had a mad expression glowing about his eyes as he dropped the corpse to the ground ignoring the half destroyed head. "Hello Bella. Lets have a talk" he said as the warning alarm went off at last. "A long overdue talk indeed."

* * *

A/N: so harry and tonks have had their introduction at last, absolutely mental sirius has his first scene & first slot of harry and daphs court grows to include everyones favorite slytherin half-blood hang-on. I'm sure everyone is going to ask one question to themselve, what mark is burning on sirius' arm? Is it the dark mark or perhaps something more? What does sirius want to talk to bellatrix of all people about?..

Some answers will be revealed next chapter. Til next time.


	8. First time for everything & shocks

"Knut for your thoughts Harry?"

Emerald eyes focused after a few slow blinks as his gaze turned turned to spot Daphne sat on his reading chairs arm. Clad in a three quarter length sleeve sleep shirt and what could pass as muggle sweat pants if not for the sheen of light reflecting off the material suggested it was some kind of silk-like material she looked entirely comfortable in the companionable silence that draped around them like a blanket within their bedroom. "Nothing of consequence Daph" he said slipping a bookmark into the text he had been reading before closing the book entirely and placing it on the small table he had taken from what was technically 'his side' of the bed. "Just letting my mind wander where it will really. Something on your mind?" he asked lightly resting a hand on her knee.

Daphne raised an internal eyebrow at the placing of his hand on her knee but didn't comment on it. It was innocent in appearance and like she had stressed to Tracey, Harry was nothing but a perfect gentleman with her so she wouldn't assume he was trying to hint at desiring something more from her. "Are you ever going to join me in the bed or are you going to spend seven years sleeping in the chair?" she asked poking his hand lightly with a slender digit. "Harry, we're engaged and we both understand the terms of it. We both know I'm not asking you to _sleep with me_ that way but on the off chance we can make something work and we do end up falling for each other genuinely & do marry I think if we got used to sleeping in the same bed now it'lll do us a world of good later so we wouldn't have to stumble through the initial awkwardness then "

Harry chuckled softly and leaned his head back against the chairs back. "I know you aren't asking that of me but to be competely honest with you Daphne, its a bit of a reflex. Remember what I said I suffered while under my muggle relatives care when we attended the will readings at Gringotts?" he asked closing his eyes.

Daphne grimaced recalling the grim desciptor that Harry had used during the Will readings. "Yes I do. A little too vividly I might add" she said trying not to sound like she wanted the Dursleys present now so she could murder them herself.

Harry grasped Daphnes knee knowing that the blonde witch was more than suitably upset. "I didn't tell all the details back in the bank. It was inconsequential at best since it wasn't like the actual abuse." He paused opening one eye that despite the temporary topic being heavy it held a calming glow that seemed to abate some of Daphnes anger. "Up until I was seven or eight when my sanguimancy abilities activated I lived in a tiny room barely bigger than a broom cupboard. Even when I instilled the fear of my wrath into my relatives after my sanguimancy abilities used my blood to form a blade and nearly disembowl my uncle I chose to sleep in the dark and cramped room, it was familiar and as sick as it is it was comforting." Seeing Daphnes mouth open once more he shook her head asking her silently to let him finish before she said anything. "Daph, sleeping in this chair or on the couch is nearly the same. I know you trust me as much as I trust you and and that is beyond all shadow of doubt. But at that same token sleeping in a bed is foreign to me. Sharing a space with you at first freaked me out to be totally honest" he said with a very candid tone.

Daphne felt her blood boil as Harry revealed to her just what else the filthy muggles had done. Forcing a child to sleep in a tiny room no bigger than a broom cupboard?! They would be executed on this side of the world for that stunt! "Its a process like anything else Harry" she said forcing a calm tone out. "I have no reason to hurt you remember? Come to bed with me tonight please. 'I'll stick to my side if it helps but as far as everyone in Slytherin thinks its _our_ bed and I don't fancy my male best friend getting himself sick because hes stubborn as a nesting dragon mother." She removed his hand from her knee and clasped it gently in her own. "If it truly feels weird I won't bother you about it again but its our job to look out for each other."

Harry said nothing for a moment before he squeezed Daphnes hand back. "Give me five minutes to get cleaned up and ready for bed ok?" he asked.

Daphne nodded her head squeezing his hand reassuringly one last time before letting go and traipsing over to the large four four poster. It would be new for Harry but he was her friend and if all went well by some divine miracle he would be her husband one day _on top_ of remaining her best friend. She was already trusted with his secrets, proving to him she was trustworthy around his vulnerable sleeping form was just another form she would do her best to earn.

Exactly five minutes later Harry returned dressed in some sleep pants and a simple black t-shirt, his school robe over his arm. Without much thought he almost automatically made a bee line for the chair til a soft throat clearing reminded him he was supposed to make his way to the bed. "Right, think before you do dumbass" he muttered to himself as he laid his robe over the back of the chair. Though he wouldn't say it outloud he was a bit nervous to share the bed with Daphne. He knew she wouldn't try anything funny but old habits died hard. For a moments time he sat on the edge of the bed feeling the fine material of the blanket, it was softer than anything he had ever felt making him imagine it must a silk-like material like Daphnes sleep pants or at the very least satin, before Daphnes hand gripped his wrist lightly and gave a gentle tug.

"Its ok Harry, I'm the only other person here and I will **never** hurt you. Climb under the covers" Daphne said in a soft tone she would often use to soothe her little sister Astoria during a thunderstorm. While Harry was an animal to approach more carefully, figuratively speaking of course, than her sister who was a big baby about stormy weather being 'scary' she projected the same calming aura. Feeling the muscles relax made her smile a tiny bit as she let his wrist go and he turned down the blanket on his side before pulling them back up. Without really thinking about it she moved across the bed to his side and hugged Harry for a minute, her arms around him and her face nestled into his throat.

The contact made Harry freeze for a moment after Daphne hugged him. He wasn't used to such intimate positive contact given his upbringing and subsequent control of the Dursleys through fear & it obviously showed. Feeling her move to retreat his arms encircled her, one hand resting on the back of her head lightly and the other on the small of her back but a respectable distance from her waist, as his eyes closed. "Think we can stay like this for a little bit? Its different but its..."

"Its nice, right?" Daphne asked supplying the word Harry was searching for. Leaning back in she nuzzled gently at the pale flesh and felt Harry both shiver at the unfamiliar affectionate gesture & his body relax entirely. "Just tell me when you want me to pull away." The quietness of her words may as well have been shouts in the silent room as his fingers gently ran through her hair.

As sleep descended upon them, Daphne succumbing first as the slow even breaths told him so, Harry couldn't help thinking to himself that he **didn't** want her to pull away ever as he finally went under the same peaceful veil of sleep she had.

* * *

As the morning sun broke the horizon and filtered through the Black Lake into the magically strengthened windows of the Slytherin dorms Harry was the first to wake. The first thing he registered feeling was a weight on his chest. Had he fallen asleep with his book on his chest insteaf of his lap? Before that thought gained traction he began to remember the night before. He hadn't slept in the reading chair last night, instead he had slept in the bed with Daphne after some convincing from her. Slivers of their talks about everything and nothing after he had embraced Daphne to him followed. All through this though she remained nestled against him so closely, her hair tickling his nose slightly as the light floral scent of her shampoo filled his senses. Looking down she was nestled against him still but instead of nuzzling against his throat her head lay on his chest like a pillow, her hand clutched his hirt a little like a non-verbal command of 'You're not going anyhere without me', his arm that was resting on her lower back was still there though it fell a bit with his fingers inches from being able to touch the waist-line of her sleep pants and at some point during the night their legs had intertwine.

"So how long are you just going to look at me or are you going to say good morning?" Daphne asked cracking one eye open. There was a tint of half-asleep awareness but gentle good natured humor glowed in her blue eye.

"Well until you just spoke I though you were still asleep. Not too many early risers wake with the sun over the horizon like I do" Harry said surprised Daphne was before him. He had been under the impression she liked getting her beauty like other women.

"Is that why I always would found you passed out in the chair at seven am when I woke up most days?"

"In my defense.." Harry was surprised by the soft laughter that escaped Daphnes lips, a clear bell-like sound, as he tried to dignify her question with a response.

"Its alright Harry, I'm only teasing. You don't need to get defensive" Daphne said as she stopped laughing. When he tried to get up she was having none of it as she pushed him back down onto the mattress. "Harry, the only people up are you me and probably the professors. Relax and enjoy the moment ok?" Her eyes closed as she clutched his shirt a little more before nuzzling his chest through it. She couldn't describe what it was but something about Harry just screamed at her these feeling of being at home and safe in this blanket of security surrounded by the people who loved her.

Seeing and feeling what Daphne was doing to him brought a blush to Harrys face though he said nothing. Something about seeing her so content like this, content with _him_ , felt kind of right. "You trust me right?" he asked quietly as he grabbed her hair as gently as possible and tilted her head up so their eyes met. She didn't even speak when an answer was given and instead nodded her head with a soft warm glow filling her eyes. Leaning forward he placed a soft chaste kiss on her lips, barely more than a peck really, as his grip on her hair loosened completely.

Daphnes eyes widened at the kiss as her hand let go of his shirt when Harry pulled back. Her cheeks were no doubt as red as his currently were and that was a comforting knowing thing. "N-not that I'm complaining but where did that come from?" she asked with a momentary stutter. If any other guy had tried that they would be hexed to the point of unconsciousness but this was Harry, a small part of her screamed _**OUR HARRY!**_ in a possessive tone, she wouldn't do it. No, it was a matter of she couldn't because she had been hoping something like that would happen sooner rather than later.

"You said to enjoy the moment" Harry said looking to the side. "Plus I've done a lot of thinking since the will readings and I gave your parents the look to sign the second contract for us. Its not just because you are my best friend Daph and I trust you more than words can describe accurately. Its more like..."

"Like something is telling you we're meant for each other" Daphne said as her fingers traced the delicate veins that stood out against Harrys skin.

"Something like that I guess. I know Soul Bonds exists but they're super rare supposedly. I don't really know how to explain it without sounding like some hopeless romantic idiot" Harry said witha note of frustration leaking into his voice.

"Maybe I want to hear you try anyway. Harry, being a hopeless romantic is a good thing when it comes to most women whether you realize it or not. Its not a weakness like most guys think it is. Being able to think for a moment 'If I was a woman and this was what my significant other/person x, y, z was doing, how would I feel and what would I do about it?' is a valuable thing. But if its any kind of breath of relief I know what you mean when you made the suggestion of it being more than just us trusting each other. Being around you makes me feel like I'm at home surrounded by the people who love me and would do everything to protect me & when that image pops in you know who I see at the front?" Daphne asked.

"Me?" Harry asked.

"Yes you dummy. Harry, we have seven years to say either we want to dissolve the contract or after we graduate we gather our family and friends for a wedding. Right now, I don't see the former option happening" Daphne said poking Harrys chest lightly. "So if that kiss means you feel like I do right now and theres even the tiniest spark you like me that way, kiss me again." Her voice gained a hint of shyness as her blush darkened but the warm glow erupted into an inferno in her eyes.

It took Harry a moment to give it thought before he leaned in kissing Daphne again but this time it was a touch more firm and less tentative than the first kiss was. He had no illusions that Daphne was wrong in asserting them dissolving the contract wasn't going to be done. He had no illusions that he didn't look at her when she wasn't looking or that he didn't think about her more than he admitted to.

Daphne felt a fluttering in her chest as she returned the kiss, her eyes closing as her hand that had been clutching his shirt moved up to tangle in his hair making the kiss a tiny bit deeper still. "So am I sleeping in this bed by myself from now on or what?" she asked after breaking the kiss and catching her breath.

"I think I can make a concentrated effort to sleep in our bed" Harry said as his eyes glimmered with a look of affection as he looked down upon Daphne. The satisfied look of victory on her face made him roll his eyes and shake his head. "Guess that means our little façade is no longer a façade huh" he said rhetorically.

"Nope. Not unless you want me to banish you back to sleeping in the chair" Daphne said gripping Harrys hair.

"Wouldn't dream about it if it meant giving up something like this that already feels like a.." Harry paused with a a sort of sarcastic grin "magical thing."

Daphne groaned at the horrible pun and separated from Harry though she did smile slightly at him. Him being in goodhumor was good for all the people around him and personally she thought & felt that after all Harry suffered through he deserved all the happiness in the world even if it involved making a horrible pun.

* * *

Harry sipped his mug of coffee in the Great Hall as he put the final touches on an essay. "Draco, if you don't stop bothering my betrothed theres going to be issues" he said not bothering to look up from the parchment. For the last twenty minutes of breakfast he'd heard the blonde boy badgering Daphne and the only reason he didn't cut the head off at the start was because Daphne squeezed his knee to not do anything at the moment.

Draco looked around at Harry with a scowl. "Theres a difference between a Slytherin 'bride' and-"

"We are aware Malfoy" Daphne said with an icy glare. "However Harry is correct in calling me his betrothed. Did you ever wonder why myself and Harry disappeared a week or so ago during the weekend? Harry had personal business to be attended to and asked me along. Among the business matters that came up the revealing of a betrothal from my father to Harrys in way of repaying a debt."

Harry put his essay down and tapped Daphne on the wrist. "Not that it matters for your life Draco. Your continued pestering of Daphne becomes more irritating by the day. If Daphne did not respond to your attempts at wooing her before then it became a dead in the water endeavour the moment we saw the betrothal contract at Gingotts. If you would like to make this a problem where House of Malfoy is actively trying to poach the next Lady Potter to be than we can make this a House Problem" he said shifting his gaze to Draco finally. "However I am not that petty a person Draco. Simply focus on your 'bride' and seek out a different young lady to become your Lady Malfoy after we graduate. Otherwise we will have problem and if history has shown within this country, making yourself the source of a problem with a Potter is not a smart thing. Particularly when the damage done in the end is far more costly for the one whom drew the ire of the Potter in question in the first place. Like when my twice great-grandfather politically and financially completely bankrupted your family because he caught your twice great-grandfather in the act of raping his only daughter. So are we going to have a problem Draco?" he asked as a sharpness entered his gaze daring the blonde boy to make a scene.

The grimace that threatened to turn into a sneer disappeared the moment Harry made the point blank threat about making a House Problem if Draco didn't cease his attempts to woo Daphne. When the reminder was brought up about the Malfoys being broken over the knee of the Potters once upon a time his lips pulled into a thin frown. Said incident had been tragic at the time and all credibility, not to mention all the political and financial assets the Malfoys had to their name which was quite a bit to say the least for a still new 'Ancient' House, had been stripped away from his family as the branded all the men as rapists. "None" he said with an clipped tone.

"Good, very very good Draco. Thats just the answer I was hoping to hear. Now smile, give our head of house a polite inclination of the head and move on. Your presence is wearing on my patience" Harry said as his gaze shifted back to Daphne, his lips pulled into a tiny amused grin like they'd been talking about something funny.

Up at the staff table Dumbledore, Minerva and Snape exchanged looks that appeared to be troubled. Dumbledore and Minerva were still rather upset about Harry having chosen Slytherin as his first choice of house in the school but equally intrigued & concerned about why so far he hadn't seemed to even contemplate the option to explore the other houses when he could at whim. "Any idea what they're talking about Albus? Young Mr. Malfoy has the look of one whose bitten into a lemon tart without sugar" the deputy headmistress said. Before she could say more a tidal wave of owls descended on the Great Hall all bearing the badge of The Daily Prophet fastened to a sack. A frown marred her face as the owls found their ways to the tables and landed amongst curious students, one of said owls even landing at the staff table. "Strange, did anyone find need to make a special donation to the student body in the form of a subscription to the Prophet?" she asked eyeing the owl who stole the bacon of her plate and hooted indgnantly when she tried to shoo it away with her fork.

"I dare say not Minerva. There has only been one other time in my memory where such an event has sparked such dire news the Prophet took upon itself to let rhe public at large know of the danger" Dumbledore said grimly as he took one of the folded newspapers from the full sack.

 **AZKABAN BREAK OUT! BRITAINS MOST DANGEROUS CRIMINALS** **AT LARGE!**

 _By Jean McDougal_

 _I wish I could say that this headline was false but it is not. Somewhere within the last week some of the most dangerous criminals to walk British soil have escaped Azkaban and left a trail of death & destruction in their paths. Death tolls as far as combined personel in the prison and those who are victim of chance in the general public are not confirmed by the Ministry at this point but sources inside the prison confirm that there are at least six to eight dead guards in the tally. As of this article the prison has been put on complete magical lockdown but thats far too little too late considering the escape of mass murdering psychopaths like Bellatrix LeStrange, Jean Claude DevVoreaux and Sirius Black to name just a few. The public at large is warned to report sightings of escaped convicts to the nearest Auror outpost and get to safety immediately after. Do not approach the convicts and for the love of Merlin, do not be a hero & try to apprehend them yourselves unless you wish to die._

 _For more information on the convicts at large turn to page 2._

 _For currently known casualties of the escape turn to page 3_

The grim look that crossed Dumbledores face grew darker as he rapidly flipped to the respective pages. "Severus, you may wish to get young Mr. Malfoy. I am sure the rest of the professors will understandably not dock him points for missing class today" he said gravely

"What are you talking about Headmaster? Even implying that one of my students would be derelict of their duties to their education is.." Severus shut his mouth a moment later as the paper, open to page 3 of the paper was shoved in his face. On top of the list of dead, alongside a picture of a body under a sheet being carried away though there was an arm present showing the Dark Mark, was the name of Dracos father: Lord Lucius Malfoy. He cast his eyes to the other professors who were equally grim faced. "Are there any objections to Mr. Malfoy being absent from anyones classes while he no doubt begins to help his mother plan to lay his father to rest?"

"I think I speak for all of us Severus when I say no. As deplorable and corrupt a man that Lucius had a record of being, us expecting Draco to soldier like nothing was wrong after learning of his fathers death like this would be beyond callous to his situation" Professor Sprout said as she folded her hands in front of her now completely without an appetite despite a half full plate of fruit. "I again think I speak for all of us when I say that you should give him our condolensces. Children are supposed to outlive their parents by virtue of old age not murder." Several noises of agreement were made as she watched the foul tempered potions master make his way to his House table and lead Draco off, the poor boys expression blank and his muscles slack like a marionette with its strings cut.

"Poor boy. Harry is a tragic story all unto himself but finding out your father was murdered while in a prison he presumably had no reason to be is just... And learning it from the Daily Prophet too? I do believe the muggles have a saying for things of this nature" Minerva said as she folded the paper up and shook her head.

"Karmas a bitch in spiked heels" Harry said with a shake of his head. He'd heard of Lucius Malfoy in conversations he'd had with Daphne and mentions of the man in the political books he read about Britains Noble Houses, mentions that were both 'good' and scathingly abusive in nature referring to Lucius as a falsely 'reformed' Death Eater who escaped Azkaban by claiming the Imperius Defense for his actions.

"Huh?" Daphne asked sounding confused.

"Karma is a muggle concept about evening the scales of your lifes actions in regard to your negative actions that do harm unto others. The more negative karma you have, the more hurt you do unto others, the bigger and more negative energy drawn unto your person. Its accepted that once that negative karma has built up to a certain point something negative itself will happen to you. I guess that Mr. Malfoys weight of karma was heavy enough to be comparable to an atomic bomb and resulted in his death. Then again, if you believe half of the things said about Lucius Malfoy combined with his anti-purely human and anti-creature legislative track record many would call this just desserts" Harry said earning a nod from Daphne.

"What of your due karma then?"

"I threaten my relatives to fear me so they stay out my way. I've not lifted a finger or used my abilities to harm a hair on them though believe me when I say that the temptation has been their and it was damn hard to not lay the hurt down on them like they did to me." Harry paused sipping his coffee before continuing. "But I told myself I would be better than them. I told myself I would never stoop to their level of using my abilities to make them feel the pain or fear I did. Its not in my character nor do I ever want it to be. So the worst I can see happening to me karma wise is stepping in a pile of create crap on the grounds."

"If this is your morning conversation I have to wonder how boring your pillow talk at night is" Tracey said plopping down across from Harry and Daphne.

The other two preteens shared a look before sharing a smirk. "Oh we could tell you if you _really_ want to know but it'll cost you" Daphne said with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"Cost me what exactly and precisely when?" Tracey asked finding the glowing mischief in her friends eyes a little off-putting.

"That all depends on how badly you truly want to know" Harry and Daphne answered in unison with their smirks growing into full on cheshire cat grins.


	9. Ghostly talks and a scheme hatching

As Harys eyes slowly roved the Great Hall he couldn't stop a slight chill crawling down his spine. Despite his apparent, to the other school Houses anyway, lack of desire to switch Houses he hadn't let that stop his networking with members of the others. Hufflepuffs were among the easiest to poke at, the badgers were generally friendly enough if just a little suspicious but after being so downplayed as the least thought of Hogwarts House the attention of the Potter scion would be a welcome boon to them & they reacted as Harry suspected. With help from Nymphadora, who had made it clear that despite being her future husband he was not to call her by her full name and that Tonks was instead preferable, he and Daphne made quick in-roads to the burrow of badgers. Coming into the company of Nobles like the Heiresses of the Bones and Abbott bloodlines were more than welcome as he began to piece together a scheme in his mind.

Appearances were as deceptive at first glance as they could be potentially true, a rock solid fact that was made no more evidently clear than the farce of justice that kept the Death Eaters who took Voldemorts mark during his first uprising from seeing due justice for their crimes. A claim of being under the under the control of the Imperius curse kept many a murdering Pureblood supremist out of Azkaban or from the Dementors Kiss. If Harry was to truly make his plan work for everyone, not just him Daphne & Nymphadora, then he had to begin cultivating an appearance that would make him appear to be a touch flaky in the head by surrounding himself with mix of people that would _appear_ to be completely random at first glance but deeper critical observation would reveal a gold mine of information of why they were there. First amongst his group was obviously his intendeds, one by inescapable contract and the other by choice. They sat at his chief council and sounding board. Below Daphne and Nymphadora was Tracey, Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott. Even though the House of Abbott was not as big as the Houses of Black, Potter, Greengrass or Bones the Abbott scion was a close friend of Susan Bones. Susan Bones had her duties to tend as a next generation political ally to the Lord Potter and as a bonus her aunt Amelia was the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; a resource he preferred to have in his back pocket for counsel if the need ever arose.

"Harry, you're doing your absent stare again" Daphne said nudging an elbow lightly into Harrys ribs. As privy as she and Tonks were to his thought process when he deemed it necessary to sound out how viable his idea was, she couldn't help pondering her own ideas to help out her betrothed. Harry was smart, scary smart considering that despite being as new as a purely muggleborn wizard yet his grasp of wizard law exceeded normal witches and wizards who had graduated Hogwarts, but sometimes she couldn't help palming her face in frustration. "You need to eat before people become even more suspicious of your flaky behaviour."

"Thats part of the point of what I'm trying to do remember?" Harry asked with a rhetorical smirk barely tugging at his lips. Daphnes groaned response made him laugh a little as he turned his gaze to the witch. "Ok fine, I'm sorry. A little introspective thinking love, thats all." He pecked her cheek in a light kiss before he turned back to his dish. "We've made in-roads with some of the people who will be no doubt key to the Hufflepuff power structure as our class goes up the years but with some of their outside connections by proxy. Right now our ace in the backpocket is Susans aunt Amelia who heads the DMLE. I don't foresee us needing her anytime soon and I hope for us to not have need of her as a get out of jail free card but some posture and work to endear ourselves to her just in case may be in order."

Daphne looked a bit pensive for a moment before she nodded her head at Harrys summary of their efforts in the badgers burrow. "That will be tougher than you make it sound with Lady Bones' track record as being hard to both impress and fool. Being head of the DMLE she'll be able to tell when shes being lied to and whos trying to suck up to her for their own self serving purprose" she said nodding her head as the facts checked out as the words left her lips. "Not just that but prior to becoming the head of the DMLE she was the chief prosecutor in the legal offices of the judicial system so you can't count on her mind being dull."

"I highly doubt that Harry is counting on Lady Bones' mind being dull after heading the idiots we call British Aurors for the last ten or so years. Rather I think hes counting on her mind being _sharper now_ than it was when she was lead counsel and prosecutor in the legal department." Tracey dropped down across from Harry and Daphne, her robes slightly ruffled from their flying lesson.

"Ah, see? Tracey gets it!" Harry said pantomiming the actions of an excited little kid. This of course earned him a hard punch to the shoulder making him whine as Daphne half-heartedly glared at him. "Sheesh, you don't have to hit me when I make a token effort to insert some levity. But being completely serious, Tracey is on the money. With the incompetent excuses that we call British Aurors under the pansy laws that Dumbledore has put in place under the Second Chance Proclomation, I am expecting Amelia Bones' mind to be sharper now than it was before she took her place as head of the DMLE. I am counting on her tongue to be sharper and the poison she spits to be a hiundred times more biting. Given her disposition to punishing the wicked and the cruel after what happened to her sister & brother-in-law that left Susan without her parents I'm banking too on Susan to have picked up on some of her aunts traits. Something we have already seen so far."

Tracey and Daphne shared a look considering Harrys words. He was right on that front since the interactions with the badgers, after Harry verbally beat down the upper year students claiming he was making a mockery of their house by associating with non-slytherins; Harrys cold words had literally made the common room pin drop silent as his monologue about their house stood for cunning and sly planning was wasted on those who couldn't see beyond the green blinders of petty House rivalries or prejudice that individuals had their places in getting things done regardless of House sort, had seen Susan branching out to the other Houses. Right now she had to use her Houses name and station to get audiences with those she was reaching out to but given enough time those connections would be an accessible resource to them because of Harry reaching out early and offering an olive branch to Susan instead of an ultimatum. "Have I told you hes scary smart when he focuses on something?" Tracey asked after a long silent minute between them.

Harry smiled an 'innocent' cheshire grin as he leaned forward so his face was inches from Traceys own. "You don't understand the half of it. Not now but you will. In time." He leaned back as the grin fell into a smirk seeing the girl before him shudder. It wasn't uncertainty or fear but perhaps hints of... No, he was reading too much into it. "Now if you two ladies excuse me, I have a murder of crows to introduce myself to. They should be easier to sink my fangs into if their predisposition to seeking forgotten knowledge is absolute truth." He kissed Daphnes cheek before beginning off with a strawberry in hand.

"What was all that about?"

Daphne chuckled turning her head to look at one of the other girls, Pansy Parkinson if she recalled correctly, and rolled her eyes. "House Secret between my betrothed, myself and those in our confidence" she said dismissively.

"Bloody hell you two are a match made in Morganas Nightmare." Tracey shook her head feeling the shudder of unknown emotion pass. "How does he plan to get into that nest? Everyone knows that Ravenclaws are as distant as they come."

"Tracey, you are one of my best friends and I love you dearly in that regard but you are blind in others" Daphne said shaking her head. "Let me ask you a question and maybe you'll understand better. No matter what side of the world we grew up on, muggle or magical, we as children grew up on fairy tales right?"

Tracey nodded her head slowly.

"And in some of these fairy tales the setting starts out in a rural place like a farm. When you think of a farm one of the first thoughts that should come to mind, particularly muggleborn or half-bloods like yourself and you know I mean that with all due respect as your friend, that sometimes you need help to run a farm. I don't mean human help either, I'm talking about animals. Horses to plow fields where food is grown, chickens to lay eggs etc."

"I think I'm starting to get the idea but keep going" Tracey said making a continue motionn with her hand.

"What do you do when an animal refuses to co-operate?"

"You.. You don't mean what I think you mean" Tracey said as her eyes went wide as saucers once the insinuation clicked in her mind.

"Horse" Daphne pointed the table of blue and bronze trimmed tie wearing students "meet the carrot being dangled from a stick in front of your face by a piece of string." The cackle from Tracey made her smirk as curious eyes looked to them unfortunately missing Harry being enfolded into a group of Ravenclaws. If her raven haired betrothed could entrench them as carefully into the crows nest as he did the badgers burrow they'd be one step closer to checking off the first box of Harrys plan, having people from the other houses to feed them information from key sources and players. Finding those to work with them in Gryffindor would be damn hard but between herself, Harry, Susan, Tracey and if they found a partiuclarly smart Ravenclaw she was certain finding a weak lion in the pride whose value was undervalued now but would pay riches in dividends later could be easily done.

Up in the rafters two ghosts watched the raven haired young man interact with the bronze and blue trimmed students. Despite the stereotype branded upon the house the uproaring laughter that echoed from the Ravenclaw table drew many eyes. Whispers of curiosity drew from nearly every table and it seemed the only ones who understood anything was the boy himself at the heart of the laughter, his blonde bride to be and her friend, his metamorphmagus bride to be and though they knew nothing concrete some suspicious looks aimed that way by teachers. "So tell me Salazar, is it him?" the female ghost asked.

The aristocratic male ghost chuckled and crossed his arms across his chest. "I have no idea what you mean Helga" Salazar said with a roll of his eyes. As old as they were, even though their ghostly forms resembled how they appeared in their prime, and being stuck in their mannerisms from their time he had long stopped fighting trying to fight the eventual pick up of habits from students.

"You know perfectly well what she means Salazar. That boy with raven hair, have you finally chosen your true heir yet?" another female ghost asked. Unlike her homely and almost matronly like counterpart and their aristocratic friend the female ghost who joined them looked like she was royalty with her long flowing gown, ornate jewelry, choker that held a jeweled crest of a raven in flight with spread wings and a strip silk tying back long silver-white hair.

"Rowena, oh you look lovely as usual" Helga Hufflepuff said with a radiant smile aimed at her friend and fellow founder. While out of their foursome Rowena and Salaze had a more aristocratic or regal visage & Godric was the slightly rough around the edges type she herself was not ashamed in the least to say she was more plain. As a healer she could afford the luxury thenand it her effective. "But Row is right. As is par for the course as usual."

Salazar chuckled at Rowenas pout as Helga teased her. "I may but theres only one problem foreseeable" he said as his finger tapped his chin.

Both female spirits looked at Salazar in surprise. For the sly and cunning Salazar Slytherin, master of serpents, to admit there was a problem was something they had never heard from him before. Hearing him mention annoyances was common but to outright state their was a problem, that was a first.

"The problem is that the boy in question you are all discussing is by rights of magic and descent my heir."

Three heads turned and their gaze landed on the rougishly handsome form of Godric Gryffindor. "Is he Godric? I couldn't tell" Helga said genuinely surprised as she tore her eyes away from her friend and peered intently at the Slytherin robe clad boy subtly endearing himself to some first and second year ravens.

"Indeed Helga. I do confess I find myself surprised that is in your House Salazar. I was certain that Gregor would recognize the traces of my magic and set him in my House under the Last Blood Clause" Godric said scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"If I might be so bold Godric, that boy is more like me and Rowena than he is you. In life you beat a problem with a shiny stick til it twitched and died. I've taken the time to observe him and I have to say its like looking a kid thats the perfect fusion of Row and myself. His intelligence despite being muggle raised in a less than stellar environment is sharp as whip, ghe ruthlessness to poison with thought and word & the sly initiative to do something we only dreamed about doing when we founded this school; compared to you beating things with your stick" Salazar ignored the indignant comment about 'My saber is no shiny stick!' from Godric "young Mr. Potter is in time going to be a walking tactical warhead."

"If I didn't know any better Sal, you almost sound impressed" Helga said tearing her eyes from the students as dinner broke up for the night.

"I am actually. What puzzles mes though is how he possesses my gift for Parseltongue when he is not descended from my line."

Rowena looked thoughtful as she combed a hand through her long hair. Pale eyes like the lightest grey widened slightly before a devious smirk pulled at her lips. "Pull it in, I have an idea" she said."

* * *

As Harry readied for bed he felt a sharp chill race down his spine. "Hey Daph, you ever get the feeling like someones walking over your grave while you were still alive?" he asked shedding his shirt and pulling on a tank top.

"No I can't say I have Harry. Why do you ask? I doubt anyone is stupid enough to try anything against you this early after your last show of what your anger begets." Daphne peered over her shoulder as she tied the strings on her sleep pants after adjusting her sleep shirt. While Harry had stopped leaving her alone in the bed at night as promised, it had the side effect of killing a fair chunk of shyness on his part. The first night after they slept in each others embrace he had been changing in their room, he was half dressed in only sleep shorts, when she walked in from her shower in her lingerie with her towel around her waist. Cue one near faint instanteous on both their counts and mutual decision to never speak of it to anyone, sleep was harder to come by that night. Between trying to sleep on separate sides of the bed to hide their embarrassment sleep hadn't come to either of them until she felt Harry curl up to her back and his arm cross her stomach over her shirt. His quiet apology reflamed her embarrassment at walking in on him while he was changing and equally being seen half naked but at the same time sent relief through her it. It had been an accident and just like them sleeping in the same bed it was best to get it out of the way early. Granted she hadn't wanted to reveal herself in her lingerie til they were older, more defined romantic feelings were firmly established and she had something to actually show off but at least she only really exposed herself in terms of her bra clad upper body as small as her breasts were. She had apologized in return for not asking if he was in there in the first place after turning in his embrace.

"I don't know, I just got this feeling like I'm going to be tested in the days to come" Harry said cracking his back. "Don't ask me how or why I feel that way but its like.. I don't know. Its been bugging me since I went and poked a hole in the defensive tower that is Ravenclaw Keep of Solitude."

Daphne scoffed at the playful stab at the Ravenclaws expense even as her eyes lit up in humor. "Are you sure you're not a comic in the body of a boy?" she asked turning around fully satisfied with the tightness of the knot on her sleep pants.

"I don't know, are you sure you're not some sort of beauty queen who got hit with with a body age reversal spell?" Harry challenged offering a playful smirk. He was unprepared for the immediate pounce that knocked him onto his back on the bed leaving Daphne on top straddling his stomach as she pinned his wrists.

"I prefer the term Developing Goddess thank you very much" Daphne said with a mock haughty sniff.

Harry rolled his eyes and with a fair amount of momentary effort he leaned he leaned up stealing a kiss off Daphnes lips. He felt her grip loosen on his wrists allowing him to flip their position so she was on her back pinned under him as he broke the kiss. "Mm, I think I can agree to that. Teach me the ways to properly worship but lets leave some mysteries til a proper later date shall we?" he suggested knowing she would agree with him. Sex was a long, long, long way off for them so that wasn't even on his mind with how his tease came in response to her unspoken askance of being called a 'Developing Goddess'.

Daphne rolled her eyes wiggling a little trying to free herself but couldn't. "You're doing great so far already. Being honest with me, letting me weigh in on important decisions that affect all of us, respecting me both as a woman and a person- you're doing well on your own" she said poking his shin with her big toe. "Though I don't think asking the use of being able to move is too much."

Harry grinned slightly and leaned down so his eyes, lit up with subtle amusement and affection, reflected in her own adoring own gaze. "One condition to letting you go" he said."

Daphne didn't ask what that condition was as she leaned up and kissed Harry deeply. It was rather light as far as a 'deep' kiss went since her hands were pinned down but the adoring kiss spoke volumes. "How about letting my hands go now?" she whispered against his lips.

Harry didn't think about it as his grip slackened and his arms fell to circle to aroind Daphnes waist. "I think we should get some sleep" he said quietly. Fighting her as she adjusted their positions to lay side by side didn't cross his mind and when she nuzzled into his throat as their legs intertwined & her hands came to clutch the material of his tank top he let out a quiet sigh of relief. Being deprived of love growing up he found Daphnes need to be as close as possible to him at the end of the day when they laid down to sleep endearing as his fingers gently traced shapes across the small of her back. Predictably he felt her shiver and that made him laugh softly. "Cold dear?" he asked teasingly.

Daphne retaliated by nipping at Harry. "No but you seem to be" she said feeling him shiver. Separating one leg from the mix of limbs she gave them a landing the soft material at their waist before entwined her leg with his again. "Thats better, can't have you getting sick or being cold when you share the same bed with me can I?" she asked rhetorically.

Harry rolled his eyes as he buried his face in Daphnes hair. "No dear, you would keep me in bed every minute that we didn't require to be in class til I was better if I did get sick" he said with a drawling tone.

"Are you complaining about a hypothetical Harry?"

"Not as long as you can find a way to get a nurses uniform and wear it as you nurse me back to health." The humor in Harrys voice was audible as Daphne choked on her spit in embarrassment, his hand patting on her back.

"I guess I set myself up for that one didn't I?" Daphne asked once she had her breath back.

"Yeah you did but even for a hypothetical its nice to know you would be at my bedside helping me get better if I was ill" Harry said as he pulled his head back and tilted Daphnes head up so their eyes met. "And you know I would do the same for you."

"I know." Daphne pressed a kiss to Harrys lips, gentle and light as her hands clenched his tank top a little more, and closed her eyes. Even though they had been like this for sometime she hadn't given much thought to how it would appear from the outside to others. For all intents and purposes she realized, with a jolt of surprise though it was not an unwelcome one by any stretch, that she treated Hary like her mother treated her dad; she realized that she was already treating Harry like a wife would treat her husband. What surprised her was that it didn't bother her either. Sure they ssid that the likelihood of them dissolving the contract was next to impossible and she truly did have a sweet spot for Harry for how he treated her but to unconsciously mimic how her mother was with her dad and find that it didn't bother her to do so with Harry was pleasantly surprising. Perhaps she could admit this to Harry later when they got past what was amounted to most as little more than puppy love to others. She didn't want to push too hard or too fast and spook Harry. "Lets get to sleep already lover boy before I get Tonks to make you sort her laundry" she said with a smirk as Harry went a cross between pale and embarrassed crimson red. _'If this is how it feels to start to fall in love with your best friend I'm completely ok with it'_ she thought nestling her head under his chin, her eyes closing in contentment as she felt Harrys grip tighten a little and the soft sweet dreams float across her ear.


	10. Murders in Doagon and questions

"So I was wondering how you two haven't gone crazy in Quivering Quirrells Stuttering Spectactular? I mean the man is a mess and jumps at his own shadow! Not to mention the overwhelming stench of garlic, sage and incense is stomach turning."

Harry looked over to Tracy and instead of answering the girls questions he merely patted her head like a puppy being rewarded for doing a trick. "Tracey, Tracey, Tracey... I have two beautiful young women who are scary brilliant in their own rights that are more qualified to help me learn the material out of the course book than that quivering wreck we're forced to acknowledge as a teacher. The first of said young women happens to your best friend and my 'bride'. The second" a look of amusement entered his eyes as the girl gave him an irritated look and shoved his hand off as Daphne chuckled "is a just as scarily brillant as Daphne is but the things she knows that we do not will be a boon to not just myself and Daphne but everyone we bring into our confidence. That includes you and I mean that. Just trust and have patience."

Tracey scowled at Harry for talking around giving her a straight answer. She was irked even more that Daphne seemed to know and didn't seem inclined to give her an answer just yet. "Ok fine, I get it. This second woman is someone who has some sort of pull to some degree. Obviously. Is it anybody I know or would know of?" she asked

Harry and Daphne shared a look before the blonde witch made a motion of her hand towards the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. "Shes Nobility to say the least" the blonde said after a long pause. "When certain conditions are met she will b-"

All eyes were diverted as a hoard of owls swooped down into the Great Hall. Like the edition of The Daily Prophet telling of Sirius Blacks escape from Azkaban the sea of newspapers filled the hall. Some of the kids dropped onto their butts in surprise while others raised an eyebrow in intrigue and picked up the paper. The Great Hall was pin driop silent as the weight of the headlines settled like a wrecking ball. MINISTER FUDGE AND MOST OF HIS SENIOR STAFF FOUND MURDERED IN DIAGON ALLEY! was splashed across the front page with a wizarding photo of Auror teams removing sheet covered bodies though gawdy ring given to Fudge by Albus Dumbledore upon his re-election was visible in the picture on a limp arm dragging along the ground.

Harrys eyes narrowed as he focused his attention on the article and found some facts that didn't seem to fit together. Like the episode with his fathers cloak his eyes changed for the briefest of moments before the emerald color was back to normal though it was infinitely icier than the receptive bright green. "Tracey, I don't care if Merlin or Morgana herself comes back from the dead & orders you away from Daph you are NOT to leave her side for any reason whatsoever. Do this, don't ask me why and stay as flush to Daph as you can until I return & you'll have earned my trust in proper" he said with a brisk tone that left absolutely no room for the girl to even speak a word in response.

Before she could even properly react he was gone striding his way up to the staff table with long strides that defied his under muscled, but quickly filling out to where he should be for his age in terms of muscle mass thanks to nutrients potions and proper meals at the dinner feasts, form.

Daphne shuddered for a moment being reminded of her father when he went into what she and Astoria referred to as "Political Lord of the Household" mode. While it wasn't per se a tundra like unfeeling coldness, both her father and Harry seemed to share this trait where it invoked a very curt crisp and to the point way of speaking if something displeased or didn't sit right with them. Judging by the fact that the article, written by Britains least respected journalist, was proclaiming the murder of the Minister of Magic and roughly seventy percent of his senior staff were found dead in public places scattered throughout Diagon Alley was none other than the work of Sirius Black it was clear to see what set her boyfriend off. What confused her, as she pulled her friend close and nestled into her shivering a little, was why Harry was going to speak with the school staff. "Tracey, just do as he says ok? I know you'd stick to me like my shadow anyways but just stay close. I can't completetely make sense of his reasoning but Harry is far from stupid and as much as I wish I could tell you more I can't but don't trust what the paper says. Some of the truth is sprinkled in there, I'd bet it was completely accidental if I didn't want to jinx myself, but most of it is slanderous lies and we both know it since Skeeter wrote it" she said quietly.

Tracey nodded her head squeezing Daphne tight to her side ignoring the odd or disdaining looks she received for it as her finger played with strands of her friends blonde hair. "Harrys not smart like you but hes smart in his own regard. If hes doing something I know there has to be a purpose to it. Harry chose Slytherin first for a reason after all" she said resting her chin comfortingly atop Daphnes head.

-Up at the staff table-

"Sirs, Ma'ams."

Professors Sprout and Flitwick were interrupted from a discussion about charms coming out of eastern europe to cultivate herbs while the headmaster, deputy headmistress, Snape and electives professors turned their heads as one. They had been absorbed in their own thoughts about the article that having a student interrupt the rather, pardon the pun, grim abstracts was a welcome. "Harry my boy, have you decided try and see how the other-"

"No offense intended sir but drop the false levity and be serious" Harry said icily. "I would formally and respectfully request a quiet word with you, the deputy headmistress, Professor Babbling, Professor Snape and Professor Flitwick."

Each of the named persons raised an eyebrow and glanced to each other. Filius, Minerva and Albus were easy enough to group together but tacking on the hardass Slythin Head of House & the not even twenty year old that had been hired straght after graduating Runes Savant was odd. What would a first year want with them? There had to be a common denominator but neither Snape or Bathsheda knew what it was.

Dumbledore stood when the others shrugged or tilted their heads in a motion to get it over with before breakfast was done and classes began for the day. "This way to the antechamber then."

When dinner came and went & there was no sign of Harry Daphne began to freak out in earnest. It wasn't the looks being sent her way, she hexed the idiots who toed the line and tried to paw at her, but the fact that without him at her side she felt almost empty. His presence was as calming and warm as it was filling, a strange comparison but her mind was satisfied with how weirdly well it fit. She nearly jumped out of her skin when arms wrapped around her waist and lips pressed themselves to her cheek. How had someone besides Tracey and Harry gotten past the runes?! Now she was in for it and since Harry wasn't there to-

"Shh... Silence the worries Daph." Harrys voice was soft as he pulled the blonde witch to rest against him, her back against his chest. "Its me, I promise you its only me" he whispered softly. Feeling her shudder made him growl silently. Just who or what had been done to her while he extracted every ounce of information he could from the staff members? Whatever or whomever did it would pay for their actions dearly. "Long deep breath in through your nose" his hands clenched hers reassuring and laced their fingers together as she followed his instruction "and slow exhale through your mouth."

Daphne shivered for a minute in Harrys grip following his instruction til she was under control of herself. "I'm ok..." she said quietly. "Where were you all day? The other professors tried to dock points for you ditching but the moment Trace or I mentioned you were with the headmaster, deputy headmistress and some of the other professors they shut right up like I blasted them with a full body bind. I... You had me worried Harry."

If it was possible to kick his own ass Harry would have as he heard the hints of strain in Daphnes voice. "I'm sorry to have worried you so much." He smiled a little as her hands squeezed his own and she snuggled further into his embrace. "Something was entirely too wrong about the Prophets article. You remember what happened after I removed the foreign enchantments on my dads cloak?" he asked nuzzling his nose against her cheek.

"Like I could forget that considering your trance you went into" Daphne said with a roll of her eyes.

"It was like an information dump out of nowhere hit me that let me do those rune strings to get rid of the foreign tracking and other nefarious spells on it that would have been detrimental to my health if I didn't get rid of them. Don't ask me why or how but I got the same feeling reading the drivel about my godfather. Maybe its a Potter thing, maybe its complete chance but.. Even being short of his complete faculties my godfather is not a complete mass murderer for shites and giggles." Freeing Daphne he set her down on the bed though he kept a hold of her hands in his to sate her need to feel his physical presence. "I needed to get answers and the staff were the best option. Some people have things they wanted forgotten from their own minds and were more than happy to tell me what I wanted, know so they no longer had to keep such knowledge to themselves. Daph, Sirius DID NOT murder the Minister and his staff like Rita Skeeter is claiming."

Daphnes eyes narrowed slightly trying to process everything. "Perhaps you should explain from the beginning and don't skimp on tbs details" she said cuddling into Harrys side.

Harry nodded his head and a flick of his head head with momentary focus had the shut and locked to give them complete isolation.

-Black Manor-

Sirius scowled as he sent a curse at the insufferable elf that was supposed to have kept the manner immaculate. As it stood in the moment it was a hovel unfit for hobos with a dust allergy to have a field day. Feeling the blood splatter on his skin and seeing half of a large floppy ear fall to the ground he felt nothing but rage for the cowering creature. "You pathetic insignificant filth! You are the elf to keep the manor IMMACULATE AT ALL TIMES! It looks like a pig sty!" he roared throwing the elf against the wall.

The crash and increased whimpers showed just how fearful the house elf was of the enraged wizard.

"Ooh would you wook at that? Little Siri throwing a temper-"

Sirius whipped around and unleashed a cuse on Bellatrix. "I may not be the Lord Black but until Harry sits the mantle I can make your life a living hell Bella" he said with a lip curled back seeing the purple curse be just barely absorbed by a shielding spell. "I broke you out of Azkaban so you owe me and I'm giving you a single chance to choose. Reveal the truth and return back to the Black fold helping me to train Harry into a proper Lord Black or return to that half-blood claimimg to want whats best for us Purebloods when he spills more of our blood and throws centuries of traditions."

Bellatrix snarled at Sirius til letters formed in the air. She watchesd as the words 'I am Lord Voldemort' rearranged into a name. Her blood ran cold with a memory surfacing.

Sirius felt a sense of satisfaction seeing the self disgust rise in her eyes. "A half-blood born of a Gaunt and a muggle she used love potions to ensnare. Your perfect Dark Lord and Master is nothing but a mudblood by your ideology" he said with a vindictive icyness.

"A..." Bellatrix looked about to be sick before she collapsed and clutched her arm in agony. The Dark Mark bujrned on her left arm for what felt like an eternity before it began to fade. Her hand lifted and to her suprise the brand that ran her life since her teens was gone! It wasn't faded or light but completely and utterly gone! She slapped herself a few times and looked back but onoy pure milky white unmarked skin met her gaze. "Sirius? Where are we? What the hell am I wearing? And why do I feel filthy?"

Siriusfrowned and lifted the house elf by its shirt. "If this manor is not SPOTLESS top to bottom by dawn I will rip your head off your scrawny body. The Lord Black shall be returning soon and he'll have need of his manor. Disappoint me and you disappoint Lord Black. Disappoint Lord Black and well" he grinned with pure malice "just try run and give me a good sport." Turning to Bellatrix he scowled at her questions and confusion on her face. "What the bloody fuck do you mean what are you wearing and why do you feel filthy? I just broke us out of Azkaban you daft bint."

Bellatrixs eyes widened at that. Siirius looked nothing like she last rembered and he was for certain not acting like it either. "What year is it? The last thing I remember is a fight with...granndfather about marrying that ass LeStrange not even a day we graduated" she said dreading the the answer. "Why do I have a perfect recall of all these Level Three classed Dark spells I know I didn't learn from the family."

Suspecting she was trying something he threw diagnotic charms at her first and when the results came back his eyes lost the edge of crazy cruel for shock. Her confusion and lack of comprehension was genuine as well as her magic which had long been tainted by the Dark Mark, was clean too. Striding over he grabbed her ler arm and turned it up to the ceiling. His svrew seeing the flesh of her forearm free of marking. "What the bloody... You were marked when I broke us out Bella" he said slowly. "What the sodding hell is going on here.."


End file.
